On Thursday, Bruce Willis’ family revealed that he had been given a frontotemporal dementia diagnosis.
After receiving a diagnosis of aphasia, which affects speech and language, the actor, 67, ended his 40-year career in March.
His ex-wife Demi Moore, wife Emma Heming Willis, daughters Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel, and Evelyn have all released a joint statement on Instagram providing “an update” on his health.
“Our family wanted to start by expressing our deepest gratitude for the incredible outpouring of love, support, and wonderful stories we have all received since sharing Bruce’s original diagnosis,” the caption reads.
“In the spirit of that, we wanted to give you an update about our beloved husband, father and friend since we now have a deeper understanding of what he is experiencing.
“Since we announced Bruce’s diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, Bruce’s condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD).
“Unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces.” “While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis.”
The family also explained on the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration website, “FTD is a cruel disease that many of us have never heard of and can strike anyone. For people under 60, FTD is the most common form of dementia, and because getting the diagnosis can take years, FTD is likely much more prevalent than we know.
“Today there are no treatments for the disease, a reality that we hope can change in the years ahead.”
With them keen to “shine a light on this disease”, here’s what we know about the signs and symptoms of different types of dementia, including frontotemporal.
Watch: Bruce Willis diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia
What is dementia?
Dementia is a syndrome (a group of related symptoms) associated with an ongoing decline of brain function, according to the NHS. There are many different types, with many different causes, and it is not a natural part of ageing.
For example, Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia are two different types, with both of them making up the majority of cases. Other types include frontotemporal dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), young-onset, as well as mixed dementia (more than one at the same time).
The condition can affect memory, as well as the way you speak, think, feel and behave.
There are currently around 900,000 people with dementia in the UK, projected to rise to 1.6 million by 2040, according to the Alzheimer’s Society.
The likelihood of developing dementia increases significantly with age. One in 14 people aged over 65 has the condition, which rises to one in six for those aged over 80. However, it can affect younger people too.
Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia in the UK. It is a progressive condition, meaning symptoms develop gradually over many years, slowly becoming more severe.
The exact cause isn’t yet fully understood, though factors that can potentially increase your risk include age, a family history, untreated depression and lifestyle factors associated with cardiovascular disease.
The first sign is usually minor memory problems, such as forgetting about recent conversations or events, or forgetting the names of places and objects.
As the condition develops and symptoms become more severe, as listed by the NHS, these include:
- Confusion, disorientation and getting lost in familiar places
- Difficulty planning or making decisions
- Problems with speech and language
- Problems moving around without assistance or performing self-care tasks
- Personality changes, such as becoming aggressive, demanding and suspicious of others
- Hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there) and delusions (believing things that are untrue)
- Low mood or anxiety
Vascular dementia
Vascular dementia is a common type of the syndrome, caused by reduced blood flow to the brain, which often gets worse over time – though it’s sometimes possible to slow it down. It can either start suddenly or begin slowly over time.
Symptoms listed by the NHS include:
- Slowness of thought
- Difficulty with planning and understanding
- Problems with concentration
- Changes to your mood, personality or behaviour
- Feeling disoriented and confused
- Difficulty walking and keeping balance
- Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, such as problems with memory and language (many people with vascular dementia also have Alzheimer’s disease)
This can make daily life increasingly hard for someone with the condition, eventually preventing them from being able to look after themselves.
Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB)
DLB, also known as Lewy body dementia, is another common type of dementia. It is caused by the Lewy bodies, which are clumps of protein that appear in the nerve cells of the brain. As it shares symptoms with Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, it is often wrongly diagnosed.
Symptoms listed by the NHS include:
- Hallucinations – seeing, hearing or smelling things that are not there
- Problems with understanding, thinking, memory and judgement – this is similar to Alzheimer’s disease, although memory may be less affected in people with dementia with Lewy bodies
- Confusion or sleepiness – this can change over minutes or hours
- Slow movement, stiff limbs and tremors (uncontrollable shaking)
- Disturbed sleep, often with violent movements and shouting out
- Fainting spells, unsteadiness and falls
Frontotemporal dementia
Generally speaking, frontotemporal dementia is an uncommon type of dementia. While dementia generally mostly affects people over 65, this type typically starts at a younger age. Most cases are diagnosed in people aged 45-65, though it can also present in younger or older people.
Frontotemporal dementia affects the front and sides of the brain, and causes problems with behaviour and language. Similar to other types of dementia, it usually develops slowly and gets gradually worse over a long period of time.
Symptoms listed by the NHS include:
- Personality and behaviour changes – acting inappropriately or impulsively, appearing selfish or unsympathetic, neglecting personal hygiene, overeating, or loss of motivation
- Language problems – speaking slowly, struggling to make the right sounds when saying a word, getting words in the wrong order, or using words incorrectly
- Problems with mental abilities – getting distracted easily, struggling with planning and organisation
- Memory problems – these only tend to occur later on, unlike more common forms of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease
As well as mental symptoms, there may be physical ones too, such as slow or stiff movements, loss of bladder or bowel control, muscle weakness or difficulty swallowing. Frontotemporal dementia can also lead to someone being unable to care for themselves.