The 67-year-old Hollywood A-lister’s family has released a statement confirming that Willis is suffering from dementia.
In March of 2022, they informed the public that he was suffering from aphasia, a condition affecting the brain which causes difficulty with language and speech. They also announced that he would be withdrawing from public life.
A statement about the progression of his condition was signed by his current wife, Emma Heming Willis, and his former wife Demi Moore, as well as his children Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel, and Evelyn.
The statement reads: "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 hopes that by publicizing Willis's condition it will bring attention to FTD, for which there are currently no treatments.
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD), causes changes to personality, behavior, language, memory, and movement, due to the areas of the brain that it affects (the frontal and temporal lobes).
There are also physical effects, such as slowness of movement, loss of bladder and bowel control, and muscle weakness.
As with other forms of dementia, the condition degenerates slowly at first but then gradually gets worse over the years.
