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Former Hollywood actor Bruce Willis has been diagnosed with dementia, his family said in a statement with The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD).

Previously diagnosed with aphasia

Willis, 67, was previously diagnosed with aphasia in March 2022, and subsequently retired from acting.

Aphasia is a language disorder caused by damage in a specific area of the brain that controls language expression and comprehension.

"Bruce's condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD)," his family has since said.

"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," his family added.

FTD, which is a common cause of dementia, is a group of disorders caused by the gradual degradation of nerve cells in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain.

Bringing awareness

In the statement, Willis' family confirmed that while there are currently no treatments for FTD, they hope that they are able to bring awareness to the disease.

The family said: "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."

They also encouraged everyone to learn more about FTD by heading over to AFTD (theaftd.org) and support AFTD's mission.

The statement also thanked everyone for all the love and support that Willis and his family received over this difficult time.

Outpouring of support

Willis' daughter, Rumer Willis, also took to Instagram to share a post on her father's condition, which was met with an outpouring of love and support for the young actress and her father.

Among those who left a message of support was "Breaking Bad" star Aaron Paul.

Top image via Wikimedia Commons and theaftd.org