TAMPA, Fla. — Bruce Willis is ending his acting career after being diagnosed with aphasia. His diagnosis has left people wondering: What is aphasia?
Aphasia is a language disorder that can rob people of the ability to communicate verbally or through writing. Aphasia affects both men and women, generally middle-aged and up, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
The Mayo Clinic says aphasia can prevent a person from speaking, writing or understanding language. According to the nonprofit academic medical center, aphasia usually occurs suddenly after a head injury or stroke. But, that's not the only cause.
"[Aphasia] can also come on gradually from a slow-growing brain tumor or a disease that causes progressive, permanent damage (degenerative)," the Mayo Clinic writes on its website. "The severity of aphasia depends on a number of conditions, including the cause and the extent of the brain damage."
Symptoms, the clinic says, may include speaking in incomplete sentences or ones that don't make sense. Aphasia symptoms may also include the use of unrecognizable words or the substitution of words that sound similar but mean entirely different things.
A person with aphasia often doesn't understand and cannot participate in conversations. They may write sentences that can't be understood.
Once doctors determine a cause, the Mayo Clinic says treatments can include language and speech therapy.
"The person with aphasia relearns and practices language skills and learns to use other ways to communicate," the Mayo Clinic adds. "Family members often participate in the process, helping the person communicate."
CBS News says drug therapies are currently being tested as possible treatments for aphasia. But, overall, the news network says treatments remain limited.