Glenn Gordon Caron, creator of the 80s television show Moonlighting, which starred Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd, has revealed that the actor has lost his language skills and is incommunicative due to frontotemporal dementia.
Bruce Willis can no longer speak, the "Die Hard" actor's close friend has revealed. The veteran Hollywood actor was diagnosed with a form of dementia called frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD). Bruce Willis, known for his iconic roles, has had to give up some of his cherished pastimes due to a diagnosis of dementia.
Bruce Willis has lost his "joie de vivre" and some "language skills" since being diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, according to "Moonlighting" creator Glenn Gordon Caron.
A language disorder with an unusual name – aphasia – entered the popular lexicon two years ago after actor Bruce Willis was diagnosed with a type of the disease that gradually robs a person's ability to communicate.
How long has Bruce Willis been suffering with aphasia?
In 2022, Bruce Willis' family released a statement saying that he had been diagnosed with aphasia (an acquired language impairment) and would no longer be acting. Ten months later, the Willis family released another statement indicating that he received a more specific diagnosis of frontotemporal degeneration (FTD).
Bruce Willis Diagnosed With Frontotemporal Dementia
What triggered Bruce Willis aphasia?
Stroke is the most common cause, but aphasia can also occur after head injuries or a brain tumor. Another type of aphasia can occur when brain tissue deteriorates with age. The Willis family has not released the cause of the actor's aphasia.
For the most part, aphasia is a treatable language and speech disorder, associated with stroke and other kinds of brain injury, and can be treated with speech, language, and cognitive therapy.
Aphasia can occur for a variety of reasons (most commonly stroke) but for Willis, it is now clear that these speech problems were the early signs of this particularly devastating form of dementia.
Bruce Willis is stepping away from acting after an aphasia diagnosis, his family said. Aphasia is a disorder that typically occurs after a stroke or brain injury, and it affects language. Other celebrities, including Emilia Clarke and Sharon Stone, have dealt with aphasia.
Mark McEwen, Bruce Willis, and Emilia Clarke have been open about their struggles with aphasia. Imagine yourself now: smart as a whip, but suddenly unable to share your thoughts or understand a loved one's words. That's aphasia, a cognitive condition that impairs the ability to understand or process language.
At 104 years of age, Norman Lloyd is the lone centenarian on the list of actors with the longest careers. While his earliest feature film credit is for 1942's “Saboteur,” he appeared in a television movie — “The Streets of New York” — three years prior.
What caused Bruce Willis' frontotemporal dementia?
The cause of FTD is not yet fully understood, but researchers agree it is linked to a build-up of abnormal proteins in the brain. Aphasia is a common symptom of FTD, and this is what Bruce Willis' family reported in an initial social media post early last year.
How long can you live with frontotemporal dementia?
People with FTD typically live six to eight years with their condition, sometimes longer, sometimes less. Most people die of problems related to advanced disease.
This condition progresses slowly. People who have primary progressive aphasia may continue caring for themselves and participating in daily activities for several years. Primary progressive aphasia is a type of frontotemporal dementia.
Willis was last seen out back in January, enjoying lunch with friends in Los Angeles. On Feb. 16, his family, including wife Emma Heming, ex-wife Demi Moore and his five daughters released a statement revealing his dementia diagnosis.
After all, the two had separate astronomical careers and were happily raising their three daughters Rumer, Scout and Tallulah. In 2000, however, their divorce became final and so began their long-standing friendship that remains to this day.
What happened to Bruce Willis? Bruce Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, aka FTD, and had to retire from acting. Before his family publicly shared his diagnosis in 2023, they revealed in March 2022 that he had to step away from Hollywood because he was experiencing a disorder called aphasia.
Many people have aphasia after a stroke. Both men and women are affected equally. Aphasia can occur at any age. It is most commonly seen in those over 65 years of age.
Stroke survivors: Country singers Loretta Lynn and Randy Travis; actresses Sharon Stone ("Basic Instinct") and Marla Gibbs (TV's "The Jeffersons"); former NFL New England Patriots player Tedy Bruschi; sprinter Michael Johnson; actors Tim Curry ("Rocky Horror Picture Show") and Frankie Muniz (TV's "Malcolm In The Middle ...
“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.
How old was Bruce Willis when he was diagnosed with FTD?
Today, the family of Bruce Willis announced that the 67-year-old actor has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), also known as frontotemporal degeneration. FTD is the most common dementia for people under 60, although it can also affect those in their 60s, 70s, or beyond.
Today there are no treatments for the disease, a reality that we hope can change in the years ahead. 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.
