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HOLLYWOOD (CNS) - Bruce Willis has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, the actor's family said in a statement released Thursday.
"Bruce always believed in using his voice in the world to help others, and to raise awareness about important issues both publicly and privately," the family said in a statement posted on the website of the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration.
"We know in our hearts that -- if he could today -- he would want to respond by bringing global attention and a connectedness with those who are also dealing with this debilitating disease and how it impacts so many individuals and their families."
The statement is signed by Willis' wife, Emma, and their daughters Mabel and Evelyn, as well as by his ex-wife, Demi Moore, and the three daughters he shares with her: Rumer, Scout and Tallulah.
In March 2022, Willis announced his retirement from acting due to a diagnosis of aphasia, a condition that affects one's ability to speak and to understand language. However, his symptoms have since progressed and are no longer limited to challenges with communication, leading to his recent diagnosis of FTD, according to the association.
Also known as frontotemporal degeneration, FTD represents a group of brain disorders caused by degeneration of the frontal and/or temporal lobes of the brain. Often, a range of new symptoms emerges as the disease progresses.
There are currently no disease-modifying treatments for FTD -- there is no cure, and no way to prevent its onset. Average life expectancy is 7 to 13 years after the start of symptoms.
The 67-year-old Willis first gained fame on the 1980s television series "Moonlighting," before a starring role in the 1988 action film "Die Hard" cemented his status as an A-list movie star.
His other memorable films include "The Last Boy Scout," "Pulp Fiction," "12 Monkeys," "The Fifth Element," "Armageddon" and "The Sixth Sense."
He was married to actress Demi Moore from 1987 to 2000. He married model Emma Heming in 2009.