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Days of Our Lives star Martha Madison is opening up about a very personal issue that is near and dear to her heart. The actress, who is best known for her role as Belle Black, is sharing her mother’s story with her fans. She is marking Frontotemporal Dementia Awareness Week by trying to help others understand the form of dementia that her mother has and how it differentiates from some others.
If you have a family history of FTD, there is genetic testing to determine whether you carry the gene.
It’s difficult to diagnose. Like Alzheimer’s, a definitive diagnosis can only be made post-mortem. The process of diagnosis often begins by eliminating other diagnosis’.
— Martha Madison (@Marth27) September 26, 2018
Martha took to her Twitter account to share a few signs and symptoms that her fans can look out for, especially when it comes to their loved ones. “The frontal lobes of the brain control functions like behavior, concentration and emotion. The temporal lobes are where we process speech and words,” she began.
“In general, FTD is when the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain begin to atrophy (ie: waste away/degenerate). Initial symptoms include changes in speech/word recall and “out of character” behavior. FTD is not Alzheimer’s.”
Martha also shared a photo with her mother. She had recently relocated her family to Texas so she could better take care of her mother. She commutes to Los Angeles for acting work.
The average life expectancy after diagnosis is 6.5 to 7 years.
This is my beautiful Mother. She had her first FTD symptoms at 50, was formally diagnosed at 58 and is now 66 years old. She also has MS and is still living her life with strength and dignity. pic.twitter.com/ofYLIF8FRy
— Martha Madison (@Marth27) September 26, 2018
“This is my beautiful mother. She had her first FTD symptoms at 50, was formally diagnosed at 58 and is now 66 years old. She also has MS and is still living her life with strength and dignity,” she shared, along with a picture of her and her mom.
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