The family of actor Bruce Willis recently announced that he would be stepping away from acting following an aphasia diagnosis – a language disorder caused by damage to the areas of the brain responsible for expression and comprehension. On Feb. 16, 2023, Willis’s family released a statement that his condition had progressed. The renowned “Die Hard” actor has been given a more specific diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia (FTD), of which aphasia can be a symptom.
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What is frontotemporal dementia? FTD is a progressive degenerative disorder of the frontal and/or temporal lobes of the brain, according to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration. This region of the brain controls behavior, language and movement. Currently, there are no treatments and life expectancy averages seven to 13 years after the onset of symptoms. “As Bruce's condition advances, we hope that any media attention can be focused on shining a light on this disease that needs far more awareness and research,” his family said in a statement posted Feb. 16, 2023. |
In April 2022, CU Anschutz Today sat down with Peter Pressman, MD, associate professor in cognitive and behavioral neurology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, to discuss how aphasia is often hidden behind other diagnoses, why treating and supporting the individual matters with aphasia, and the outlook on recovery.