Experts have cautioned that unusual table manners might be more than just oddities; they could indicate early signs of dementia. Frontotemporal dementia, the condition affecting approximately 60,000 Americans, including actor Bruce Willis, is linked to a steady decline in brain areas responsible for personality and language.
Typical warning signs involve noticeable changes in personality and behavior, like impulsiveness or diminished empathy, along with language difficulties where individuals struggle to find the right words. However, specialists point out a less recognized symptom: ‘obsessive and repetitive behaviors’ that can influence patients’ eating habits.
Some individuals might develop a fixation on a single type of food, refusing to consume anything else, as noted by researchers from Washington, D.C. In more extreme cases, patients might even eat non-food items or take food from others’ plates.
Dr. Marilena Aiello, a neuroscientist studying the disorder, remarked that while these eating behaviors create social issues, they can also adversely affect health—leading to weight gain in some, while others may lose weight due to a limited and obsessive diet.
The reasons behind these behavioral changes remain somewhat unclear, but researchers suspect they might relate to alterations in the body’s hunger and fullness signals.
There’s no definitive information regarding whether Bruce Willis exhibits compulsive eating habits associated with his condition; however, his family has noted challenges with communication. Earlier this month, his wife, Heming Willis, shared an indication of his struggle before his diagnosis.
Speaking to ABC News, she noted: ‘He used to be very talkative and engaged, but he became a bit quieter. When family gathered, he seemed to fade away.’ She also mentioned he started losing words and a stutter he had as a child resurfaced.
“He felt distant, almost cold, which is so opposite to Bruce’s warm and affectionate nature—it was concerning and frightening,” she added.
Typically, behavioral changes are the first signs of frontotemporal dementia, contrasting with Alzheimer’s disease, which usually presents memory loss or confusion. As the condition progresses, more brain areas degenerate, causing frontotemporal dementia patients to exhibit symptoms similar to those in later stages of Alzheimer’s.
Other symptoms may include difficulty with eating or swallowing, mobility issues, and increased vulnerability to infections. While frontotemporal dementia itself is rarely fatal, it weakens the body and raises risks of severe complications related to infections or swallowing difficulties.
Currently, there is no cure, though some medications and therapies may help slow symptom progression. The exact cause of the condition remains uncertain, but it’s been linked to protein buildup in the brain. Some researchers also suggest it could result from damage to brain blood vessels, affecting nutrient and oxygen supply to brain cells.
