Bruce Willis’s state of health caused surprise and shock around the world and made more than one question things like what dementia is and What other celebrities have had dementia.
At the age of 67, Bruce Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal aphasia, as confirmed by his family and close friends such as his ex-wife, actress Demi Moore.
What celebrities had dementia?
Although the list that we give you below is not of actors who have the same condition as Bruce Willis, they are actors who had some kind of dementialike Alzheimer’s.
What celebrities have had dementia? / Photo: Getty Images
- Ronald Reagan: The former US president was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 1994. At the age of 83. He was President of the United States from 1981 to 1989.
- Charlton Heston: The star of films like “Ben-Hur” and “The Ten Commandments” publicly announced that he had Alzheimer’s in 2002, when the actor was 78 years old. He passed away from complications of the disease 6 years later.
What celebrities have had dementia? / Photo: Getty Images
- Rita Hayworth: The remembered “Gilda” was not saved from suffering from dementia during the 80’s
- Sean Connery: Agent James Bond from the period 1962 to 1973 joins the list of celebrities who had dementia. This was confirmed by his wife Michelin Roquebrune, his wife. Connery passed away in 2020.
What celebrities have had dementia? / Photo: Getty Images - Robin Williams: The acclaimed and much-loved star of “Dead Poets Society” suffered from Lewy body dementia, according to an autopsy performed after his suicide in 2014.
What is frontotemporal aphasia?
Frontotemporal aphasia is a rare type of cognitive impairment that primarily affects speech functions.
According to the Mayo Clinic, frontotemporal aphasia refers to a group of disorders that are the product of degeneration of the frontal or temporal lobes of the brain.
People with this disorder have trouble expressing their own thoughts and understanding or finding words to express themselves.
What celebrities have had dementia? / Photo: Getty Images
What causes frontotemporal dementia?
Mayo Clinic explains that frontotemporal aphasia is caused by a deterioration of areas of the brain responsible for language and speech, this deterioration is associated with the presence of abnormal proteins.
The risk factors for developing this disease are not well established, however, if you had learning problems (such as dyslexia), you have a slightly higher risk of developing this disease.
On the other hand, genetics play a determining role in having dementia, much is already included in the genes.
Experts warn that it is a disorder that can be hereditary, so if there is a history of these disorders in your family, you have a higher probability of developing them.
What celebrities have had dementia? / Photo: iStock
What are the symptoms of frontotemporal aphasia?
Although the symptoms of this disorder vary depending on the type of aphasia it is (semantic, logopenic or ungrammatical), most symptoms include problems recognizing words, problems expressing themselves, confusion of thoughts and impediments to read or write.
Now that you know which actors have had dementia and how it affects frontotemporal aphasia, we share a video on 6 tips to improve the quality of life of a person with the most common type of dementia: Alzheimer’s.
In general, this disease begins to show symptoms between the ages of 40 and 60, however, according to the United States National Library of Medicine, there have been cases of people in their 20s with symptoms or a diagnosis of aphasia. frontotemporal.
How does a person with frontotemporal aphasia behave?
The behaviors, as well as the symptoms, can vary, however, the United States National Library of Medicine identifies the following behaviors as a rough guide:
- compulsive behaviors
- repetitive behaviors
- Problems with personal hygiene
- abrupt changes in mood
- Lack of empathy
- listless or listless behavior
- vocabulary reduction
- Weak, uncoordinated speech sounds
As you can see, this type of dementia is complex and to date there is no cure. To learn more, we leave you a video on tips to improve the quality of life of people suffering from the most common type of dementia worldwide: Alzheimer’s.