Latest news with #Alzheimer's
Time of India
3 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Bruce Willis can no longer speak, read, or walk? Here's what his family really said — Complete truth
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Bruce Willis Health: A Timeline of Decline Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads What Is Frontotemporal Dementia? Behavioral: Apathy, poor judgment, socially inappropriate behavior, neglect of hygiene Language: Difficulty in understanding or forming language, word-finding issues, sentence construction errors Motor: Muscle weakness, tremors, difficulty walking, laughing or crying inappropriately Family Shares emotional health updates Distinguishing Fact From Fiction Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Bruce Willis' family makes people aware of FTD FAQs What health condition has Bruce Willis been diagnosed with? How has Bruce Willis' condition impacted his daily life? Renowned for redefining action cinema through classics like Die Hard, Bruce Willis, now 70, is reportedly grappling with the severe progression of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). While alarming reports have surfaced suggesting the actor can no longer speak, walk, or recall his iconic career, his family has offered a more nuanced and heartfelt account of his speculation, largely fueled by social media and tabloid whispers, suggests total cognitive and physical decline. However, the Willis family, including wife Emma Heming Willis and daughters Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah, has not explicitly confirmed such extreme deterioration, as mentioned in reports by The Express Tribune and Gulf News. Their updates, though emotionally charged, aim to raise awareness about FTD and preserve the dignity of the Hollywood March 2022, Willis retired from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia—a communication disorder that affects speech and comprehension. Just a year later, his family shared an even more troubling update: Willis was living with frontotemporal dementia, a rare, degenerative brain condition that affects behavior, speech, and then, his public appearances have diminished. Family members have slowly become the primary source of information on his condition, often speaking not just to fans but to others grappling with dementia diagnoses in their families. Bruce Willis dementia diagnosis has brought attention to a condition still unfamiliar to many. Frontotemporal dementia, as defined by the Mayo Clinic, targets the brain's frontal and temporal lobes—regions associated with personality, language, and behavior. Unlike Alzheimer's, FTD typically strikes at a younger age, often between 40 and challenges can manifest rapidly and vary greatly from person to the grim prognosis, the Willis family remains resolute in their love and advocacy. Their social media messages, particularly on milestones like Father's Day, offer glimpses into their private struggles and enduring Willis wrote on Father's Day 2025, 'I wish I asked you more questions while you could still tell me about it all... I'll try to just be grateful.' Her words reflect not only the grief of a daughter but also the quiet acknowledgment of irreversible Heming Willis, Bruce's wife, has openly described the emotional weight of caregiving. In a June update, she wrote, 'I want it all back.' She added, however, that even in silence, Bruce continues to inspire: 'He teaches us strength in new ways every day.'Emma has announced an upcoming memoir titled The Unexpected Journey, chronicling her path from partner to caregiver and Willis, the youngest daughter, recently shared rare family photos and described a recent day as 'filled with smiles,' suggesting there are still good moments, however reports claim Bruce Willis is now completely non-verbal, immobile, and disconnected from his surroundings. However, the family has not issued a formal statement confirming such specifics. The most consistent message they convey is one of slow decline, difficulty in communication, and continued emotional his public engagements have ceased, those close to him suggest that he still responds to music and sensory stimuli. These small reactions may seem minimal to the outside world, but they hold immense value to his loved ones, as per the report by The Express attention surrounding Bruce Willis has elevated public discourse about dementia, particularly frontotemporal dementia. His family's transparency has offered much comfort and clarity in dealing with their own diagnoses. Through foundation work and interviews, they continue to spread awareness, destigmatize cognitive decline, and encourage empathy for advocacy is especially crucial because FTD is often misdiagnosed as a mental illness or Alzheimer's due to overlapping symptoms but has a different course of treatment and Willis has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a progressive neurodegenerative condition that affects behavior, communication, and cognitive condition has significantly altered the course of his personal and professional life. He has retired from acting, and now depends heavily on family support for daily care and emotional well-being.
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Health
- Yahoo
New Study Using Aptar's Nasal Drug Delivery System Validates Insulin Nasal Spray to Deliver Alzheimer's Drug Directly to the Brain
Research by Wake Forest University School of Medicine provides a crucial method for future Alzheimer's disease treatment trials and reveals key differences in how the drug is absorbed in people with early cognitive decline CRYSTAL LAKE, Ill., July 23, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AptarGroup, Inc. (NYSE: ATR), a global leader in drug and consumer product dosing, dispensing and protection technologies, today announced that its nasal drug delivery system was used in a recently published brain imaging study from Wake Forest University School of Medicine. According to the university's press release, the "groundbreaking" study confirms a vital step toward new Alzheimer's treatments: intranasal insulin, delivered via nasal spray, safely and effectively reaches key memory regions of the brain in older adults. The study also revealed that people with early cognitive decline may absorb it differently. This research, published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, describes the results of a milestone positron emission tomography (PET) imaging study. According to the Wake Forest team, the results directly show that intranasal insulin travels to 11 key brain regions associated with memory and cognition. Previously, researchers faced challenges in earlier intranasal insulin trials because they could not confirm if the treatment was reaching its brain targets. The imaging protocol used a precision nasal delivery system supplied by Aptar Pharma, and could be adapted for other intranasal therapies targeting neurological disorders. "The results of the study represent a significant step forward in medicine as they validate that our nasal delivery system was effective in delivering intranasal insulin safely and effectively to specific regions of the brain," said Reenal Gandhi, Aptar Pharma's Director of Business Development. "Aptar has over 30 years of experience in nasal drug delivery system, including in the area of neurodegenerative diseases, and the patient is at the center of everything we design. While we have nasally delivered medications in emergency and routine care, we believe that the nasal route holds potential for more developments. As scientific understanding and development advance, we see continued opportunities for intranasal delivery to improve how therapeutics are delivered to the central nervous system." "This study fills a critical gap in our understanding of how intranasal insulin reaches the brain," said Suzanne Craft, Ph.D., professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and director of the Wake Forest Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. "We needed direct evidence that the drug is able to reach key brain targets. An unexpected finding was the observation that uptake may differ in people with early cognitive decline. This means we now have a roadmap directly to the brain." The Wake Forest study involved 16 older adults (average age 72), including seven who were cognitively normal and nine with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Using a novel radiotracer, [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-insulin, delivered with a specialized six-spray nasal system, participants underwent a 40-minute brain PET scan followed by whole-body imaging. Participants described the nasal spray as "surprisingly easy." The researchers found: Elevated insulin uptake in critical memory and cognition areas, including the hippocampus, olfactory cortex, amygdala and temporal lobe. Cognitively normal individuals showed higher uptake and distinct timing patterns of insulin delivery compared to those with MCI, who exhibited rapid initial uptake followed by quicker clearance. In women, insulin uptake correlated strongly with factors linked to healthy cardiovascular function and elevated ptau217 levels (a marker of brain amyloid, the sticky protein that accumulates in the brain in Alzheimer's disease) were associated with decreased brain absorption across multiple regions. Only two participants reported mild headaches post-scan, which resolved within 24 hours, indicating the procedure was well-tolerated. "One of the biggest challenges in developing treatments for brain diseases is getting agents into the brain," Craft said. "This study shows we can validate intranasal delivery systems effectively, an essential step before launching therapeutic trials." Given recent concerns around the limited efficacy and side-effect profiles of some anti-amyloid drugs, this validation strategy supports a broader approach to Alzheimer's treatment, including metabolic and delivery-focused interventions. The findings could help explain why some patients respond better to intranasal insulin therapy than others, potentially leading to personalized treatment approaches. "There's an urgent need to identify effective and feasible ways to prevent and treat Alzheimer's dementia," said Craft. "These findings show that we can now validate whether treatments are actually reaching their intended brain targets, which is critical information for designing successful trials." The Wake Forest team is now planning larger validation studies within the next 12-18 months to explore how vascular health, amyloid accumulation and sex differences influence brain insulin delivery. "While there's still a lot to learn, these findings show that we now have the tools to validate intranasal drug delivery to the brain," Craft said. "This is promising news for developing more effective and accessible treatments for Alzheimer's disease." Aptar offers a full range of Orally Inhaled and Nasal Drug Product (OINDP) systems and services to support this growing sector. Aptar offers advanced intranasal drug delivery services, including everything from manufacturing, formulation development all the way through to clinical and commercial product manufacturing. Aptar's nasal spray systems are designed to reliably deliver precise nasal drug dosing in an easy to use, safe, and portable package for both systemic and local administration with rapid onset capabilities. About Aptar Aptar is a global leader in drug and consumer product dosing, dispensing and protection technologies. Aptar serves a number of attractive end markets including pharmaceutical, beauty, food, beverage, personal care and home care. Using market expertise, proprietary design, engineering and science to create innovative solutions for many of the world's leading brands, Aptar in turn makes a meaningful difference in the lives, looks, health and homes of millions of patients and consumers around the world. Aptar is headquartered in Crystal Lake, Illinois and has over 13,000 dedicated employees in 20 countries. For more information, visit This press release contains forward-looking statements, including the potential outcomes of the nasal delivery system for intranasal insulin. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and by use of words such as "expects," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "future," "potential," "continues" and other similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as "will," "should," "would" and "could" are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and are based on our beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to us. Accordingly, our actual results or other events may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements due to known or unknown risks and uncertainties that exist in our operations and business environment including, but not limited to: the successful integration of acquisitions; the regulatory environment; and competition, including technological advances. For additional information on these and other risks and uncertainties, please see our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the discussion under "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in our Form 10-K and Forms 10-Q. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law. View source version on Contacts Investor Relations Contact: Mary 815-479-5658 Media Contact: Katie 815-479-5671
Time of India
an hour ago
- Health
- Time of India
Doing THIS for just one minute everyday can help with longevity!
Staying healthy and living longer requires basic methods, which should be simple to execute. The exercise of standing on one leg with eyes closed, functions as an unexpected approach to help longevity. The exercise appears basic, yet it creates multiple advantages for your physical and mental health, which strengthens your body while enhancing balance and youthful appearance. What is Standing on One Leg with Eyes Closed The exercise of standing on one leg with eyes closed, involves raising one foot above the ground while maintaining the other foot on the floor then shutting your eyes. The absence of visual guidance, forces your body to expend more effort for maintaining equilibrium. The first attempt at this task will be difficult, yet practice makes it progressively simpler. Doing this exercise for a few minutes daily leads to unexpected advantages. Why Balance Matters for Longevity The human body needs balance as an essential factor when people grow older. The inability to maintain balance increases your chances of experiencing a fall. Serious injuries tend to affect older adults more severely when falls occur. The recovery period and independence loss tend to become longer due to these types of injuries. When you practice balance exercises like standing on one leg, you build better coordination between your muscles and brain. The practice of balance exercises decreases your chance of falling, which leads to better health and increased safety in older age. Strengthens Muscles and Joints The act of standing on one leg, functions as a weight-bearing activity, because it requires you to place weight on both your bones and your muscles. This exercise strengthens your bones and decreases your chances of developing osteoporosis, since it helps maintain bone density. The exercise engages your core muscle, leg muscles and hips. Your body uses these muscles to perform basic activities including walking and climbing stairs, and standing from chairs. Your body achieves better movement and reduces discomfort because of muscular strength. Improves Brain Function and Focus The act of balancing without vision requires your brain to function at its highest level. The brain needs to use its touch and body awareness, senses instead of visual cues. The exercise provides mental benefits which improve your concentration abilities and body control and focus. The better functioning of your brain helps slow down the normal aging process of memory and cognitive abilities. The practice helps prevent dementia along with Alzheimer's disease. This basic exercise benefits both your physical health, and mental clarity simultaneously. Enhances Body Awareness and Posture The experience of standing on one leg with eyes shut increases your sense of body positioning. Proprioception refers to the human body's natural ability to detect its body parts, without needing visual input. Proprioception of good quality enhances coordination and diminishes clumsiness. Better body awareness leads to improved posture. Maintaining proper spinal health and preventing neck and back pain becomes possible through appropriate posture. Proper posture creates both confidence and youthful appearance and promotes general wellness. Easy to Do Anytime, Anywhere The main benefit of this exercise stems from its simple execution. You require no specific equipment or vast space to perform this exercise. The exercise can be performed both at home and at the office and outside. It requires only brief daily practice sessions lasting several minutes. Beginners should start by holding onto a chair or wall for support before attempting to stand without assistance. Slowly, your balance skills will improve enough to try standing on a softer surface, while extending your practice time. How to Practice Safely The exercise of standing on one leg with eyes closed remains basic, yet following these safety tips brings added protection. You should practice this exercise by standing near a wall or sturdy chair, because you can hold onto it if you lose your balance. Begin with open eyes until you achieve balance before shutting them. Carry out the exercise on an even floor that offers grip to your feet. Choose either comfortable footwear or remain barefoot if the surface feels secure. Before starting this exercise, consult your doctor about balance issues and health conditions you may have. Source Mayo Clinic
Business Wire
3 hours ago
- Health
- Business Wire
New Study Using Aptar's Nasal Drug Delivery System Validates Insulin Nasal Spray to Deliver Alzheimer's Drug Directly to the Brain
CRYSTAL LAKE, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AptarGroup, Inc. (NYSE: ATR), a global leader in drug and consumer product dosing, dispensing and protection technologies, today announced that its nasal drug delivery system was used in a recently published brain imaging study from Wake Forest University School of Medicine. According to the university's press release, the 'groundbreaking' study confirms a vital step toward new Alzheimer's treatments: intranasal insulin, delivered via nasal spray, safely and effectively reaches key memory regions of the brain in older adults. The study also revealed that people with early cognitive decline may absorb it differently. This research, published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, describes the results of a milestone positron emission tomography (PET) imaging study. According to the Wake Forest team, the results directly show that intranasal insulin travels to 11 key brain regions associated with memory and cognition. Previously, researchers faced challenges in earlier intranasal insulin trials because they could not confirm if the treatment was reaching its brain targets. The imaging protocol used a precision nasal delivery system supplied by Aptar Pharma, and could be adapted for other intranasal therapies targeting neurological disorders. 'The results of the study represent a significant step forward in medicine as they validate that our nasal delivery system was effective in delivering intranasal insulin safely and effectively to specific regions of the brain,' said Reenal Gandhi, Aptar Pharma's Director of Business Development. 'Aptar has over 30 years of experience in nasal drug delivery system, including in the area of neurodegenerative diseases, and the patient is at the center of everything we design. While we have nasally delivered medications in emergency and routine care, we believe that the nasal route holds potential for more developments. As scientific understanding and development advance, we see continued opportunities for intranasal delivery to improve how therapeutics are delivered to the central nervous system.' 'This study fills a critical gap in our understanding of how intranasal insulin reaches the brain,' said Suzanne Craft, Ph.D., professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and director of the Wake Forest Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. 'We needed direct evidence that the drug is able to reach key brain targets. An unexpected finding was the observation that uptake may differ in people with early cognitive decline. This means we now have a roadmap directly to the brain.' The Wake Forest study involved 16 older adults (average age 72), including seven who were cognitively normal and nine with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Using a novel radiotracer, [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-insulin, delivered with a specialized six-spray nasal system, participants underwent a 40-minute brain PET scan followed by whole-body imaging. Participants described the nasal spray as 'surprisingly easy.' The researchers found: Elevated insulin uptake in critical memory and cognition areas, including the hippocampus, olfactory cortex, amygdala and temporal lobe. Cognitively normal individuals showed higher uptake and distinct timing patterns of insulin delivery compared to those with MCI, who exhibited rapid initial uptake followed by quicker clearance. In women, insulin uptake correlated strongly with factors linked to healthy cardiovascular function and elevated ptau217 levels (a marker of brain amyloid, the sticky protein that accumulates in the brain in Alzheimer's disease) were associated with decreased brain absorption across multiple regions. Only two participants reported mild headaches post-scan, which resolved within 24 hours, indicating the procedure was well-tolerated. 'One of the biggest challenges in developing treatments for brain diseases is getting agents into the brain,' Craft said. 'This study shows we can validate intranasal delivery systems effectively, an essential step before launching therapeutic trials.' Given recent concerns around the limited efficacy and side-effect profiles of some anti-amyloid drugs, this validation strategy supports a broader approach to Alzheimer's treatment, including metabolic and delivery-focused interventions. The findings could help explain why some patients respond better to intranasal insulin therapy than others, potentially leading to personalized treatment approaches. 'There's an urgent need to identify effective and feasible ways to prevent and treat Alzheimer's dementia,' said Craft. 'These findings show that we can now validate whether treatments are actually reaching their intended brain targets, which is critical information for designing successful trials.' The Wake Forest team is now planning larger validation studies within the next 12-18 months to explore how vascular health, amyloid accumulation and sex differences influence brain insulin delivery. 'While there's still a lot to learn, these findings show that we now have the tools to validate intranasal drug delivery to the brain,' Craft said. 'This is promising news for developing more effective and accessible treatments for Alzheimer's disease.' Aptar offers a full range of Orally Inhaled and Nasal Drug Product (OINDP) systems and services to support this growing sector. Aptar offers advanced intranasal drug delivery services, including everything from manufacturing, formulation development all the way through to clinical and commercial product manufacturing. Aptar's nasal spray systems are designed to reliably deliver precise nasal drug dosing in an easy to use, safe, and portable package for both systemic and local administration with rapid onset capabilities. About Aptar Aptar is a global leader in drug and consumer product dosing, dispensing and protection technologies. Aptar serves a number of attractive end markets including pharmaceutical, beauty, food, beverage, personal care and home care. Using market expertise, proprietary design, engineering and science to create innovative solutions for many of the world's leading brands, Aptar in turn makes a meaningful difference in the lives, looks, health and homes of millions of patients and consumers around the world. Aptar is headquartered in Crystal Lake, Illinois and has over 13,000 dedicated employees in 20 countries. For more information, visit This press release contains forward-looking statements, including the potential outcomes of the nasal delivery system for intranasal insulin. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and by use of words such as 'expects,' 'anticipates,' 'believes,' 'estimates,' 'future,' 'potential,' 'continues' and other similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as 'will,' 'should,' 'would' and 'could' are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and are based on our beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to us. Accordingly, our actual results or other events may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements due to known or unknown risks and uncertainties that exist in our operations and business environment including, but not limited to: the successful integration of acquisitions; the regulatory environment; and competition, including technological advances. For additional information on these and other risks and uncertainties, please see our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the discussion under 'Risk Factors' and 'Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations' in our Form 10-K and Forms 10-Q. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law.
NDTV
3 hours ago
- Health
- NDTV
Other Kinds Of Dementias You May Not Know About
While memory loss is the most well-known symptom of dementia, there are several other types of dementia that affect more than just memory. These conditions impact different parts of the brain, leading to a variety of cognitive, behavioural, and physical symptoms. These types can be just as, if not more, concerning because they may go unrecognised or be misdiagnosed due to their unusual presentations. Understanding these other forms of dementia is essential for early detection, proper treatment, and support for both patients and caregivers. 1. Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) Frontotemporal dementia affects the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, which control personality, behaviour, and language. People with FTD may not show any memory loss at first. Instead, they often experience changes in personality, social behaviour (like lack of empathy or tact), or language difficulties. It usually strikes at a younger age than Alzheimer's and can be particularly troubling because individuals may appear apathetic or inappropriately disinhibited, which can be mistaken for psychiatric illness. 2. Lewy body dementia (LBD) LBD is the second most common form of progressive dementia after Alzheimer's and includes symptoms like visual hallucinations, fluctuating alertness, and Parkinsonism (tremors, stiffness, and slow movement). Memory loss is less prominent early on, but sleep disturbances, acting out dreams, and severe sensitivity to antipsychotic medications are common. The mix of cognitive and motor symptoms makes it especially complex and challenging to manage. 3. Vascular dementia Caused by reduced blood flow to the brain, often after strokes or small vessel disease, vascular dementia primarily affects thinking speed, problem-solving, and attention rather than memory early on. Symptoms depend on the area of the brain impacted and can appear suddenly or develop gradually. It's often preventable or manageable by addressing heart and blood vessel health. 4. Mixed dementia Some individuals have more than one type of dementia, commonly Alzheimer's combined with vascular dementia or Lewy body dementia. This mix can make diagnosis difficult and symptoms more variable, involving a combination of memory loss, judgment issues, visual disturbances, and mobility challenges. 5. Parkinson's disease dementia People with Parkinson's disease may eventually develop dementia, characterised by issues with attention, planning, language, and memory. Hallucinations and paranoia may occur in later stages. The cognitive decline usually appears a year or more after the onset of motor symptoms, differentiating it from Lewy body dementia. 6. Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) Though not always classified strictly as dementia, NPH mimics dementia with symptoms such as trouble walking (shuffling gait), urinary incontinence, and cognitive impairment. It is caused by excess cerebrospinal fluid in the brain's ventricles. Unlike most dementias, NPH can sometimes be reversed with surgical intervention (shunt placement). 7. Huntington's disease dementia Huntington's is a genetic disorder that causes degeneration of nerve cells in the brain and includes movement disorders, mood swings, and eventually dementia. Cognitive decline in Huntington's involves difficulty with organising, prioritising, and focusing rather than memory problems initially. These lesser-known types of dementia are worrying because they may not be recognised early and may present symptoms mistaken for depression, anxiety, or even laziness. Early diagnosis and management can help slow progression and improve quality of life, making awareness crucial.
