“Bruce’s condition is advanced and we now have a more accurate diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia»: With these words yesterday, February 16, the spouse and ex-wife of Bruce Willis announced the state of health of the film star, less than a year after the news of his retirement from the stage. “Unfortunately, the communication difficulties are just a symptom of the illness Bruce is facing. While it’s painful, it’s a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis,” they added. Frontotemporal dementia is a brain disorder, but it is different from Alzheimer’s disease. It’s less common and less well known, according to the Frontotemporal Degeneration Association.
Frontotemporal dementia: causes and symptoms
The AFTD explains that frontotemporal dementia, or FTD, is a group of brain disorders caused by degeneration of the frontal and/or temporal lobes of the brain, commonly associated with personality, behavior and language. In rare cases, motor problems can also occur. Symptoms therefore range from inappropriate or compulsive social behavior to frequent mood swings to apathy and difficulty using and understanding written and spoken language. However, symptoms vary from patient to patient as they depend on where the disease develops in each patient and how it spreads. The disorder can even lead to pneumonia, infection, or injury from a fall. Compared to Alzheimer’s, it affects younger patients: it is diagnosed between the ages of 40 and 60.
Aphasia and misdiagnosis
In the United States, between 50,000 and 60,000 people received such a diagnosis. The organization adds that it’s often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s, depression, Parkinson’s or a psychiatric condition, and it usually takes more than three years to get an accurate diagnosis. Willis himself was initially diagnosedaphasia, a speech disorder that occurs after damage to parts of the brain. Although the exact cause of frontotemporal dementia is currently unknown, several medical organizations state that genetic mutations are linked to the condition. There is no known risk factor for developing the disease. There is currently no cure – the AFTD says there are no treatments that can slow or stop its progression. The average life expectancy from the onset of symptoms is 7 to 13 years.
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