Actor Bruce Willis suffers from dementia according to his doctors, announces his family. Known worldwide for his roles in “Die Hard”, “Pulp fiction”, “The Fifth Element” or even “Sixth Sense”, he initially suffered from aphasia syndrome, a more or less strong language disorder depending on the case, caused by brain damage. But since last year, “Bruce’s disease has progressed and we now have a more precise diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia,” explained his relatives in a press release.
“Unfortunately, the communication difficulties are just a symptom of the illness that Bruce faces,” the family said, saying they were “relieved to finally have a clear diagnosis.” Frontotemporal degeneration (FTD) is a neurodegenerative disease, related to Alzheimer’s disease. People with FTD may experience memory problems, behavioral changes, or difficulty speaking or moving.
“No treatment for this disease”
“Today, there is no cure for this disease, a reality that we hope can change in the years to come,” the family stressed. “As Bruce’s condition progresses, we hope the media will focus on bringing this disease to light, which needs much more awareness and research,” his loved ones added.
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According to some American specialists, frontotemporal dementia appears most often in patients aged 40 to 65, and accounts for one-fifth of dementia cases.
Last March, the family of the actor of “Piège de Cristal” announced that Bruce Willis was retiring in spite of himself at the age of 67, due to his illness. A heartbreak for his countless fans. “To the amazing Bruce supporters, as a family we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has had some health issues and was recently diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities,” it said. her daughter in a statement posted on Instagram.