Signs You May Have Aphasia, Like Bruce Willis

Bruce Willis has been a Hollywood fixture for more than 30 years, so it shocked many when family members announced this week that the actor would be "stepping away" from work because he was showing symptoms of the brain disorder aphasia. What are the signs of aphasia? Read on to find out more about what aphasia is, what causes it, and how it's treated.

Bruce's ex-wife, Demi Moore, announced the news on her Instagram account Wednesday. "To Bruce's amazing supporters, as a family we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities," she wrote. "As a result of this and with much consideration Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him." "We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him," it continued. "As Bruce always says, 'Live it up,' and together we plan to do just that." So what is aphasia? Read on.

Aphasia is a disorder that takes away a person's ability to communicate. It can develop suddenly or gradually and has several potential causes. According to the National Institutes of Health, about 1 million Americans are currently living with aphasia, and about 180,000 people develop the disorder each year.

According to the Mayo Clinic, there are three main types of aphasia:

• "Expressive, when an affected person understands communication better than they can speak. They may struggle to get words out or speak in short sentences. 
• Comprehensive, in which an affected person speaks in long sentences that may not make sense. They may use incorrect, unrecognizable or unnecessary words.
• Global, when a person has severe trouble with comprehension and communication."

According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, aphasia is caused by damage to areas of the brain that are responsible for language. This can result from:

• A stroke
• A brain injury
• A brain infection or tumor
• A degenerative brain disease such as dementia

Stroke is the most common. Between 25% and 40% of stroke survivors develop aphasia, according to the National Aphasia Association. In Willis's case, we don't know the potential cause of his aphasia; his family hasn't revealed that information.

Aphasia is treated with speech-language therapy. "Aphasia therapy aims to improve a person's ability to communicate by helping him or her to use remaining language abilities, restore language abilities as much as possible, and learn other ways of communicating, such as gestures, pictures, or use of electronic devices," says the NIH. Family members are encouraged to participate. Drug therapies and brain-stimulation techniques are being tested. The potential for improvement depends on the cause of aphasia. Some people who develop aphasia after a brain injury improve dramatically within months, even without therapy, says the NIH. But aphasia can also be caused by dementia (such as Alzheimer's disease). Dementia is a progressive disorder that currently has no cure.