What is aphasia, the brain damage that Bruce Willis suffers

The news moved the whole world: actor Bruce Willis will abandon acting after doctors diagnosed him with aphasia, a disease that leads to loss of ability to express himself and that affects his ability to understand.

This was reported by the 67-year-old daughter of the Hollywood star, through her Instagram account.

“For Bruce's incredible followers, as a family, we want to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health problems and was recently diagnosed with aphasia, which is affecting his cognitive abilities. As a result of this and with great consideration, Bruce is moving away from the career that has meant so much to him”, can be read in the accompanying text a photo of the actor who starred in countless hits on the big screen. He continues: “This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so grateful for their continued love, compassion and support. We are going through this as a strong family unit and we wanted to attract your fans because we know how much he means to you, as do you to him. As Bruce always says, 'Live it big, 'and together we plan to do just that.”

Willis is reportedly suffering from aphasia, an acquired language disorder that affects a person's ability to understand and/or produce language, without affecting intelligence. It affects the structure of language, and most aphasic people also experience difficulties in reading and writing.

Among the causes of aphasia, the most common is stroke; about 25-40% of stroke survivors have aphasia. It can also occur as a result of brain injury from head injury or brain tumor, among others. Also, although it is much more common in the adult population, it can happen to people of all ages. The best treatment available includes medication and intensive rehabilitation. There are currently numerous drugs available that promote recovery and enhance the effect of rehabilitation.

“It is best to start treatment as soon as possible, that is, in the acute phase. However, it is never too late to start it, as there is evidence that chronic aphasic patients can also benefit from medication and rehabilitation,” said Daniela Szenkman, speech therapist in the Department of Language of INECO, to Infobae, on the occasion of World Aphasia Month, who commemorates every June.

If the symptoms last longer than two or three months, it will be more difficult to wait for a full recovery. “It is important to note that many people continue to improve even for years and even decades after the onset of aphasia. To achieve this, it is necessary to continue carrying out rehabilitation, with the greatest possible intensity of treatment,” said Szenkman.

Not all aphasic people have the same language difficulties. Some have difficulty speaking, others understand what is being said to them, some cannot find the words they need to express themselves, and others must strive to follow a conversation. Sometimes, aphasia is mild and may not be as obvious. In other cases, it can be very severe and affect speech, writing, reading, and language comprehension.

Although symptoms vary widely, what all aphasic people have in common are difficulties in using language and communicating effectively.

Noelia Pontello is a specialist in Cognitive Neurology and Neuropsychiatry at INECO, and works daily with patients with this type of sequelae. From his place, he stressed that there is always room for improvement: “No matter how disabling the language disorder is and no matter how much time has passed since its installation, improvements can be seen, the first step is to consult with a specialized professional.”

KEEP READING