Latest news with #FTD
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Bruce Willis' daughter Rumer calls him her 'inspiration' amid battle with dementia
Rumer Willis, eldest daughter of Die Hard star Bruce Willis, has made a rare comment about her father during health battle. Rumer Willis has publically credited her dad for inspiring her to become an action star amid his heartbreaking battle with dementia. In 2023, Bruce Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Two years on and the Die Hard star is now "non-verbal" and requires care 24-hours a day. Back in 2022, the action hero decided to retire from acting after he was diagnosed with language disorder aphasia in March that year. One year later, his family confirmed that his disease had developed into FTD. This form of dementia has a typical life expectancy of six to eight years, however it can also be as low as two years in certain cases, reports the Mirror. Rumer, 36, is the oldest of Bruce's children, who he shares with actress Demi Moore. The couple were married from 1989 to 2000, and they also had two other daughters - Scout, 33 and Tallulah, 31. After their divorce, Bruce went on to marry British model Emma Heming and share two more daughters, Mabel Ray, 12 and Evelyn Penn, 10. Rumer has revealed that she is following in her dad's footsteps as she is making her way in the action genre. Her new movie, Trail of Vengeance, sees her play a disgruntled widow named Katherine Atherton, who is out to get revenge after her husband was murdered. In an interview with People magazine, she said: "My dad is such an action man. My mom's done her fair share [of action] as well." With her movie now in cinemas, Rumer added: "I felt like a little kid when I found out I got [this role]." As Bruce slowly loses his fight with dementia, Rumer makes sure that her two-year-old daughter Louetta spends as much time as she can with her grandad. A source previously said: "Rumer wants to make sure Louetta knows Bruce. "She wants him to be actively involved in Louetta's life. It's a very special bond. Rumer and her sisters love their dad so much. They are very conscious that any day could be his last." Despite the divorce, his ex-wife Demi is also making sure that Bruce and their daughters are looked after. Previously speaking to Variety, Demi said: "We will always be a family, just in a different form." She added: "I've shared this before, but I really mean this so sincerely: It's so important for anybody who's dealing with this to really meet them where they're at. And from that place, there is such loving and joy." In a different interview with Town & Country magazine, Demi spoke of her ex-husband's diagnosis. She said: "Finally getting to a diagnosis was key so that I could learn what fronto-temporal dementia is and I could educate our children. I've never tried to sugarcoat anything for them." She has also spoken out about the best way she has found to take care of the 70-year-old action star: "The important thing is just to meet him where he's at, as opposed to being attached to who he was, how he was. "Because, again, that only just puts you in a place of loss versus being in the present, meeting him where he's at, and finding the joy and the loving of just all that is where he is." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Rumer Willis praises dad Bruce in rare public comment amid his Dementia battle
RUMER Willis has praised her dad Bruce in a rare public comment amid his Dementia battle. Following in her much loved father's footsteps, is also becoming an action hero. Advertisement 5 Rumer Willis has praised her dad Bruce in a rare public comment amid his Dementia battle Credit: AFP 5 Rumer shared adorable images with her Dad Bruce Willis for his birthday Credit: Instagram/rumerwillis 5 Bruce Willis' fans have been concerned for the actor since his diagnosis Credit: Refer to Caption had his first three children in the late 80s and 90s, with actress and ex-wife, . The five girls, along with Demi and Emma, released a joint statement in March 2022 sharing that is a medical condition resulting in the inability to understand words and communicate clearly, aphasia typically occurs after a stroke or head injury. Advertisement Showbiz Stars dementia (FTD). FTD is "an umbrella term for a group of brain diseases that mainly affect the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain", according to the Mayo Clinic. The site states: "These areas of the brain are associated with personality, behavior, and language ." Born August 16, 1988, in Advertisement Most read in Celebrity Exclusive She made her film debut in Now And Then (1995), acting alongside her mother, and has also appeared in three films with her father - The Whole Nine Years (2000), Hostage (2005), and Air Strike (2018). In 2015 she made her Broadway debut in the musical Chicago and also won season 20 of Dancing with the Stars. Bruce Willis' daughter shares rare update on dad's health amid tragic dementia battle She also starred in In her new movie, out in theatres now, Rumer is playing a widow on the warpath in filmmaker Johnny Remo's Trail of Vengeance. Advertisement And she has praised her father's career as part of the reason for her own desire to jump into the genre. In a recent interview she said: "My dad is such an action man." She added: "My mom's done her fair share [of action] as well." Mom Demi starred in GI Jane and Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle. Advertisement Speaking to She added: "I felt like a little kid when I found out I got [this role]" She also shared that she is a huge fan of the Western genre including Taylor Sheridan's Yellowstone and 1883. Set in 1875, Trails of Vengeance follows Rumer's character, Katherine Atherton, a widow whose life is upended by her husband's murder, orchestrated by a nefarious colonel. Advertisement But in her quest for vengeance, she unexpectedly crosses paths with a former Pinkerton agent, a man with a troubled past. 5 Rumer shared that she is a huge fan of the Western genre including Taylor Sheridan's Yellowstone and 1883 Credit: Getty 5 Rumer is starring in a new film out in theatres now Credit: Instagram/rumerwillis
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Health
- Daily Record
Dementia warning as craving certain foods 'could be a sign of the disease'
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is one of the rare forms of dementia and can cause patients to crave sweet, fatty foods, or carbohydrates and even forget their table manners A hankering for certain food could be an early warning sign of dementia, experts have warned. Dementia is a broad term used to describe a variety of conditions that cause memory loss, with Alzheimer's disease being the most prevalent type. Vascular dementia accounts for the majority of other cases. However, there are also less common forms of dementia, one of which is known as frontotemporal dementia (FTD). This condition can lead to behavioural and language difficulties, and may even change a person's preferred food choices. Alzheimer's UK, a leading charity, explains that FTD patients may "crave sweet, fatty foods, or carbohydrates and forget their table manners". They added: "They may also no longer know when to stop eating, drinking alcohol, or smoking." Dementia is the leading cause of death in the UK, claiming the lives of approximately 67,000 people across the four nations each year. In an effort to raise awareness and accelerate scientific progress towards a cure, Scottish Formula One driver Sir Jackie Stewart founded Race Against Dementia after his wife was diagnosed with FTD in 2014. The charity is optimistic about the development of a new treatment for the disease within the next decade, according to scientist Dr Cara Croft. It is through that initiative that Sir Jackie is helping to fund a new trial at the University of Cambridge which hopes to spot signs of the disease in people many years before it ever begins to have an effect. In more than a decade since her diagnosis, however, Lady Helen's dementia has steadily progressed over time. And Sir Jackie, 85, previously recounted how his wife of more than 60 years forgot who he was. Speaking in 2022, he told the BBC: 'Just the other day it was time for dinner, she's getting up and I'm sitting close by, and she says, 'Where's Jackie?' That's the first time that's happened and that's only a few weeks ago. 'A bad feeling came over me.' He went on to say that his wife's mind is in 'a new world' and that she is now no longer able to walk on her own as a result of her condition. What are the symptoms of frontotemporal dementia (FTD)? As well as changes in eating habits, other symptoms of FTD include: Being insensitive or rude Acting impulsively Loss of inhibitions Seeming subdued Losing interest in people and things Losing drive and motivation Inability to emphasis with others Repetitive behaviours Compulsive eating Neglecting personal hygiene Using words incorrectly Loss of vocabulary Repeating a limited number of phrases Forgetting the meaning of common words
The Hindu
24-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Does neurodegeneration start when blood vessels are damaged?
Our brain depends on a finely tuned network of neurons, signals, and protective barriers to function seamlessly. This intricate setup underpins every thought, memory, and movement we make. But as we age, or under certain conditions, this system can break down. Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) slowly damage neurons and over time these conditions lead to severe memory loss, confusion, and loss of independence. Despite decades of research, the precise mechanisms driving these diseases have remained elusive. Shifting away from the traditional neuron-centric view of brain diseases, two studies published recently in Science Advances and Nature Neuroscience, offer a compelling new piece to this puzzle. The teams' research reveals a startling possibility: what if the trouble begins long before neurons die? The studies suggest that damage to the blood-brain barrier (BBB) may in fact be the first domino to fall in neurodegenerative diseases. First line of defence The BBB is one of the brain's most critical protections. It is made up of tightly packed endothelial cells that line blood vessels in the brain. Their job is to gatekeep: letting in vital nutrients while keeping out toxins, pathogens, and harmful immune cells. 'Endothelial cells are the first cells exposed to what we eat, what infections we carry, or even the medications we take,' Ashok Cheemala, lead author of the Science Advances study, said. 'If these cells become inflamed or damaged, the barrier becomes leaky. When that happens, harmful substances can slip into the brain and trigger inflammation.' This inflammation, in turn, can lead to neuron death, which causes memory loss and cognitive decline — the hallmarks of diseases like Alzheimer's and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Helpful and harmful The TDP-43 protein regulates RNA and ensures proper gene expression inside cells in a process called splicing. Under healthy conditions, it is located in the nucleus of cells. But in people with neurodegenerative diseases, it goes rogue. 'If it accumulates in the cytoplasm, it starts to form toxic aggregates that can spread from one cell to another,' Cheemala said. While these aggregates have primarily been studied in neurons, researchers have been wondering whether endothelial cells that make up the BBB are also affected. King's College London neurologist Jemeen Sreedharan said, 'TDP-43 is found in virtually every cell in the body, not just in the brain. It's been detected in the skin, liver, kidneys, even reproductive organs. So its presence in endothelial cells isn't surprising. What's interesting is the idea that its dysfunction in these cells could kickstart the disease process.' Leaky in the barrier To investigate, the team used genetically modified mice carrying a disease-causing mutation in the Tardbp gene that encodes TDP-43. 'Even a single point mutation in TDP-43 in endothelial cells was enough to cause BBB leakage, brain inflammation, and behavioural changes in mice,' Cheemala said. As they aged, these mice showed increased leakage of molecules from the bloodstream into the brain, evidence of a compromised barrier. The researchers found that key proteins holding the BBB together, like claudin-5 and VE-cadherin, were lost, allowing molecules from the bloodstream to leak into brain tissue. These mice also displayed memory problems. The team also injected fluorescent dyes and tracked their penetration into the brain, analysing changes in the structure and protein composition of the BBB to verify their findings. 'This mutation is present from early development, even before birth,' Sreedharan said. 'These mice don't develop obvious brain disease but they do have vascular abnormalities. That points to blood vessel dysfunction as a possible early driver of neurodegeneration.' The human connection The team also analysed over 130,000 individual brain-cell nuclei from postmortem human brain samples from 92 donors aged 20-98, including both healthy individuals and those with certain neurodegenerative conditions. They profiled the RNA and nuclear proteins at the single-nucleus level and examined molecular changes in various brain cells. 'We specifically looked at TDP-43 levels in the nuclei of endothelial cells. In patient samples, the nuclear TDP-43 was dramatically reduced compared to healthy controls,' Cheemala said. The findings mirrored those of the mouse model. Loss of TDP-43 caused β-catenin to disintegrate, ramping up inflammatory signalling. The team also identified a specific group of damaged capillary cells that had low TDP-43 and high inflammation, suggesting they'd shifted from maintenance to damage mode. Still, the human data came with caveats. 'Post-mortem studies are limited by variability in tissue quality and timing,' Sreedharan said. 'But combining those with controlled mouse models makes the case much stronger.' 'It'll be important to see if this endothelial phenotype is specific to neurodegenerative diseases or a more general response to brain injury. Studying non-genetic conditions like multiple sclerosis or traumatic brain injury could help clarify this,' he added. Early detection opportunity The findings open a window for early diagnosis and prevention. 'It's compelling to think a disease we've long considered neuron-specific may actually start in the vasculature,' Sreedharan said. The team is now working on potential blood-based biomarkers, especially proteins that are regulated by TDP-43 and may be secreted into the bloodstream when endothelial cells are affected. 'One candidate is HDGLF2, a protein that changes when TDP-43 function is lost. If we can detect that in blood, we may be able to identify the number of years an at-risk individual has before their symptoms appear, Cheemala said. The researchers are also exploring whether exosomes — tiny particles released by cells, which may carry distinct protein signatures from damaged blood vessels — could serve as early indicators of disease. This could lead to non-invasive tests for diagnosing neurodegenerative diseases in their silent stages, long before symptoms appear and while interventions may still be effective. Manjeera Gowravaram has a PhD in RNA biochemistry and works as a freelance science writer.
Perth Now
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Rumer Willis hopes she 'lives up to' dad Bruce Willis' legacy
Rumer Willis is desperate to "live up to" her dad Bruce's legacy. The 36-year-old actress - the eldest daughter of the 'Die Hard' action movie legend and his Hollywood star ex-wife Demi Moore - is following in his footsteps with new Western 'Trail of Vengeance', and she wants to live up to the family name with her stunts. Speaking to Extra, she said: "When I'm on the sets, especially doing any sort of like physical stuff, I pulled the stunt guy Dale aside and I was like, 'Listen, you need to show me how to make this look good because I've got a big-time legacy right here to make sure that I live up to, so none of this, like, sissy stuff.' ' Rumer admitted the shoot was "very aggressive at time", but she wasn't fazed. She added: "We had a lot of fight scenes. We would joke on set about how much I get slapped around in this movie. It's very aggressive. "I felt really empowered!" She plans to show the film with her father, who was previously diagnosed with Frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a degenerative disease, which causes behavioural changes and communication difficulties. Rumer will "absolutely" be spending Father's Day - which is celebrated on June 15 in the United States - with Bruce, 70, while she also gave an update on his ongoing health battle. She said: "He's great. He's really good." Rumer also had some kind words for her mother Demi, whose role in 'The Substance' earned her an Academy Award nomination earlier this year. She said: "To sit there and watch her get acknowledgment, not only from her peers but just this industry and people as a whole, I think, was so lovely, not only as her daughter but also as a peer and an actor as well because she's incredible. She's so talented.' And she previously opened up about the bond she shares with her sisters Scout, 33, and Tallulah, 31, as she admitted some people might think they are "crazy and weird" for their dynamic. She told the 'What in the Winkler' podcast: "We all still take baths together, my sisters and I. 'And that's just the kind of house that I grew up in. 'People might think that that's crazy and weird, but I don't.'
