Bruce Willis, 67, has frontotemporal dementia, according to his ex-wife Demi Moore.
Recall, Bruce Willis last March stepped away from acting following a brain disorder diagnosis.
The “Die Hard” actor was “diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities,” his daughter, Rumer Willis said last March.
“To Bruce’s amazing supporters, as a family we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities. As a result of this and with much consideration Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him.” the statement read.
“This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support. We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him. As Bruce always says, “Live it up” and together we plan to do just that.”
Demi Moore said the aphasia diagnosis progressed to frontotemporal dementia.
NBC News reported:
Actor Bruce Willis’ diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia has brought renewed attention to the disease, whose symptoms include changes in behavior, language and communication.
Willis’ family, including ex-wife Demi Moore, said in a statement on Thursday that his aphasia diagnosis, which the family announced in March, had progressed to frontotemporal dementia. Willis is 67.
Frontotemporal dementia, or FTD, refers to a collection of disorders that primarily affect the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. The diseases that fall under this umbrella are neurodegenerative, meaning they get worse over time.
Generally, there are two subdiagnoses, according to Dr. Paul Barton Rosenberg, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
“One is a behavioral variant, where people can have a change in their personality and lose their inhibitions and social graces,” Rosenberg said. “Another is primary progressive aphasia, where people have trouble finding words or expressing themselves.”
In their Thursday statement, the Willis family said that “unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces.”