A Physical Exam Without a Test for Dementia

Trump will soon have his first full physical exam since entering the White House. There has been much concern expressed, given the explosion of questions about his mental state, that he will not be having any tests for dementia as part of this exam.

There is such stigma in America today associated with mental disorders that it is not surprising that he and his watchers are steering clear of any one of numerous rigorous tests of mental acuity. And, they can and will argue that this is a “physical” and not a “mental” exam.

Okay, let’s forget a mental exam and focus only on a full physical exam, one which usually includes a neurological assessment – an assessment of a person’s nervous system – motor and sensory skills, spinal cord, balance, coordination, reflexes, the brain, and the nerves. But Trump’s exam won’t be looking at these, for obvious reasons. It will stay far clear of anything associated with the brain.

So, if the question of his brain function is really at the core of many people’s concern, there is another powerful way to get a clear fix on it. And, it is one that doesn’t require the services of a medical professional. It is actually very simple and concrete and can be done by anyone. All one has to do is go back a couple of decades and listen and watch interviews of the time, and there are many, of Donald Trump on various subjects. While there are familiar and sometimes stunning similarities in mannerisms, there are also stark differences. Below, as examples, are two videos, one from 1988 and another from 2001.

Any layman can easily see from these two examples that the Trump of 1988 and 2001 could complete a full sentence, structure a reasonable response, stay on message, and provide a layered case. The change over time, when one compares these and other past tapes to today’s TV clips and coverage, is stark and dramatic. The evidence is overwhelming and sad.