Bruce Willis’ health status has caused surprise and shock around the world, and has caused more than one question as to what dementia is and what other celebrities have had dementia.
At the age of 67, Bruce Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal aphasia, which was confirmed by his family and friends, including his ex-wife, actress Demi Moore.
What did the famous clemency have?
Although the list we give below is not of actors who have the same condition as Bruce Willis, there are actors who have had some type of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s.
What celebrities have had dementia? / Photo: Getty Images
What celebrities have had dementia? / Photo: Getty Images
What celebrities have had dementia? / Photo: Getty Images
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 arise from degeneration of the frontal or temporal lobes of the brain.
People with this disorder struggle with expressing their thoughts and understanding or finding words to express themselves.
What celebrities have had dementia? / Photo: Getty Images
What causes frontotemporal dementia?
The Mayo Clinic explains that frontotemporal aphasia is caused by the degeneration of brain regions 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 have learning difficulties (such as dyslexia) you have a slightly higher risk of developing this disease.
On the other hand, dementia has a definite genetic component, many of which are 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 it.
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 (semantic, logopenic, or ungrammatical), many symptoms include problems recognizing words, problems expressing oneself, confusion of thoughts, and problems reading or writing.
Now that you know which actors have had dementia and how it affects frontotemporal aphasia, we share in 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 twenties with frontotemporal symptoms or diagnosis.
How does a person with frontotemporal aphasia act?
Behaviors, such as symptoms, can vary, but the United States National Library of Medicine recognizes the following behaviors as a rough guide:
As you can see, this type of dementia is complex and there is currently no cure. In order to learn more, I show you tips to improve the quality of life of people suffering from the world’s most common type of dementia: Alzheimer’s.