Bruce Willis attends a film premiere in New York on Friday, Oct. 11, 2019. Nearly a 12 months after Bruce Willis’ household introduced that he would step away from performing after being recognized with aphasia, his household says his “situation has progressed.” In an announcement posted Thursday, his household mentioned Willis has a extra particular prognosis of frontotemporal dementia.
Charles Sykes/Charles Sykes/Invision/AP
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Charles Sykes/Charles Sykes/Invision/AP
Bruce Willis attends a film premiere in New York on Friday, Oct. 11, 2019. Nearly a 12 months after Bruce Willis’ household introduced that he would step away from performing after being recognized with aphasia, his household says his “situation has progressed.” In an announcement posted Thursday, his household mentioned Willis has a extra particular prognosis of frontotemporal dementia.
Charles Sykes/Charles Sykes/Invision/AP
Actor Bruce Willis has been recognized with dementia, evolving from a earlier prognosis of aphasia final spring, his household introduced Thursday.
More particularly, Willis has frontotemporal dementia, which might embrace aphasia, which brings challenges with talking and writing.
“Unfortunately, challenges with communication are only one symptom of the illness Bruce faces,” his household mentioned. “While that is painful, it’s a reduction to lastly have a transparent prognosis.”
Willis’s household mentioned final 12 months the actor can be stepping away from his decades-long profession because of his impaired cognition.
What is frontotemporal dementia?
Frontotemporal dementia, also referred to as FTD, is considered one of a number of varieties of dementia and causes nerve injury within the frontal and temporal lobes, which results in a lack of perform in these areas, in keeping with the Alzheimer’s Association.
There are several types of frontotemporal dementia. Behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia causes nerve loss within the areas of the mind that management empathy, judgment and conduct.
Primary progressive aphasia deteriorates components of the mind that management talking, writing and comprehension. The onset of signs usually begins earlier than age 65, however can happen later.
FTD also can disrupt motor perform and motion, which may very well be labeled as Lou Gehrig’s illness, also referred to as ALS.
How is FTD totally different from Alzheimer’s?
Diagnosis of FTD tends to occur between an individual of their 40s and 60s, whereas Alzheimer’s occurs at a later age. Alzheimer’s can be extra carefully tied to hallucinations, reminiscence loss and points with spatial orientation, resembling getting misplaced.
Treatment and prognosis
Doctors use mind imaging expertise, resembling MRIs, to diagnose FTD. The outcomes are analyzed in tandem with a affected person’s medical historical past and signs. About 30% of individuals with frontotemporal degeneration inherit the illness; there are not any identified danger components.
There are medicines that may assist relieve signs, however the illness finally will get worse with time.