The American actor Bruce Willis, 67, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, his family reported Thursday, almost a year after announcing that Willis suffered from aphasia and that he would stop acting due to impairments in his cognitive abilities.
His ex-wife, Demi Moore, and Rumer Willis, the couple's eldest daughter, wrote in an emotional Instagram post that the actor's aphasia diagnosis, announced in March 2022, has progressed rapidly.
“Unfortunately, having difficulty communicating is one of the symptoms of the illness Bruce is dealing with.
While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis," they wrote in the joint statement.
The Die Hard
and
Pulp Fiction
actor's family
also expressed their "deepest gratitude for the incredible outpouring of love, support and wonderful stories we've all received since sharing Bruce's initial diagnosis."
"FTD (frontotemporal dementia) is a cruel disease that many of us have never heard of and can affect anyone," Willis's family added in a statement posted on the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD) website. for its acronym in English).
For people under the age of 60, FTD is the most common form of dementia, and because it can take years to be diagnosed, it is likely that this condition is much more common than we know, the statement said.
"Today there are no treatments for the disease, a reality that we hope can change in the coming years," the family wrote, adding that they hope the actor's case will help generate more knowledge about this medical condition.
"
Bruce always believed in using his voice in the world to help others and raise awareness about important issues
both in public and in private," they wrote.
"We know in our hearts that if he could today, he would want to respond by bringing global attention and a connection to those who are also dealing with this debilitating disease."
What is FTD and how does it affect patients?
Frontotemporal dementia is a general term used to describe "a group of brain disorders that primarily affect the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain," according to the Mayo Clinic.
“These areas of the brain are generally associated with personality, behavior, and language,” the institution details.
How can aphasia affect Bruce Willis?
A doctor explains the disease
March 31, 202204:36
In this condition, portions of these brain lobes shrink (or atrophy).
The Mayo Clinic details that "signs and symptoms vary, depending on the part of the brain affected."
"Some people with frontotemporal dementia have
dramatic changes in their personalities and with socially out of place, impulsive
or emotionally indifferent attitudes, while others lose the ability to use language correctly," according to the medical portal.
The Mayp Clinic also explains that frontotemporal dementia can be misdiagnosed as a psychiatric problem or like Alzheimer's disease, but it tends to occur at a younger age than this condition.
Frontotemporal dementia
often begins between the ages of 40 and 65
, but it also occurs later in life.
FTD is the cause of approximately 10% to 20% of dementia cases.