As Bruce Willis quits acting after aphasia diagnosis – the 10 signs you must never ignore

VETERAN actor Bruce Willis announced he is to retire from the business, after being diagnosed with a language disorder.

The 67-year-old, best known for the Die Hard films, has got aphasia.

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Bruce Willis has been diagnosed with aphasia, a language disorder[/caption]

This is a language and speech condition, often caused by damage to the left side of the brain.

Common causes of it include stroke, a severe head injury, a brain tumour or progressive neurological conditions.

Some people who have it don’t realise their speech makes less sense and can become frustrated.

It can affect people of all ages, but is most common in those over 65.

This is largely because strokes and neurological conditions usually affect older adults.

A joint statement from Bruce’s family was posted yesterday, saying: “Our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities.

“As a result of this and with much consideration Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him.

“This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support.

“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.”

Symptoms include trouble reading, listening, speaking, typing or writing.

It doesn’t affect the sufferer’s intelligence, it affects their ability to communicate.

They can sometimes put the wrong sounds in a word, choose the wrong word or put words together incorrectly.

Aphasia can also present with other disorders. This could be visual difficulties, mobility problems, limb weakness, and problems with memory or thinking skills.

It is diagnosed after speech and language tests, with scans assessing brain damage.

Speech and language therapy is the main type of treatment for people with the condition.

While it varies from person to person, most people with aphasia make some form of recovery. And some can even recover fully.

However the illness is difficult to live with and can cause isolation, anxiety and depression to develop.

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The actor has stepped back from work while he deals with his condition[/caption]