WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s the new chant in Washington politics: “Get a cognitive test!” Political opponents, armchair pundits and even nervous supporters are
FILE - President Joe Biden, speaks during a presidential debate hosted by CNN with Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, June 27, 2024, in Atlanta. Political opponents, armchair pundits and even nervous supporters are demanding that President Joe Biden undergo cognitive testing after his dismal debate performance – even though his physician says he gets, and passes, an annual neurologic exam.
Political opponents, armchair pundits and even nervous supporters are demanding that President Joe Biden undergo such testing after his dismal debate performance – even though his physician says he gets, and passes, an annual neurologic exam. Former President Donald Trump, who’s only a few years younger, makes his own gaffes. He recently bragged about passing a 2018 cognitive test – while calling the doctor who administered it by the wrong name. With all the concern, what can cognitive testing actually tell about a person’s brain health – and what can’t they answer? And presidents aside, does the average older adult need one?They’re brief screening tools, a 10-minute series of questions to assess different brain functions. Two of the most common are called the MMSE, Mini-Mental State Exam, and the MoCA, Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Recalling a list of five unrelated nouns or seeing how many words beginning with F you can say in a minute can assess short-term memory and language. Counting backward by 7s tests attention and concentration. Drawing a clock with the correct time is a clue to spatial awareness.They don’t diagnose health problems. A bad score is just a red flag that indicates a need for further testing to see if there is a health problem and uncover what kind, said Dr. James Galvin, a neurologist at the University of Miami. A good score usually is good news. But the highly educated especially tend to be good test-takers even if cognitive trouble is starting to brew. So if someone scores OK yet they, a family member or the doctor sees some day-to-day concern, more testing still could be warranted.When and how often should cognitive screenings be done? “A screening test is exactly a snapshot in time. So it tells you in that moment how someone does on that test,” Galvin stressed. “It doesn’t tell you how a person is functioning in their everyday life.” Simply reporting a concern is reason enough for a primary care doctor to perform one. But it’s also supposed to be part of the annual Medicare wellness visit for those 65 and older. Galvin wouldn’t discuss Biden or Trump because he hasn’t examined them — but said that generally it’s a good idea for seniors to get checked yearly to spot changes. It’s much like how doctors don’t assume your blood pressure’s still fine, they measure it.Cognitive screenings are “pencil and paper tests” usually handled by primary care doctors, while neurologic exams generally are performed by a specialist, Galvin said. It’s a very detailed physical exam. Doctors watch the patient’s speech patterns and behavior, test how key nerves are functioning, check reflexes that can signal brain diseases and assess muscle tone and function. If either kind of test signals real cognitive concerns, the next step may be more intensive neuropsychological testing — an exam that often lasts up to three hours. After an exhaustive interview of the patient and any accompanying family members, the neuropsychologist goes through tests and tasks designed to check specific brain functions – intelligence, memory, verbal ability, problem-solving and reasoning skills, visual and auditory responses, emotion and mood. They may use puzzles, objects to rearrange, or drawing and writing tests. Blood tests and brain scans also may be ordered. Special types of PET scans can detect Alzheimer’s hallmark amyloid plaques and tau tangles in the brain. An MRI can detect past strokes, helpful in diagnosing vascular dementia.“Age makes us do things a lot slower,” Galvin said. “We move slower. We think slower. But we’re still moving correctly and we’re still thinking correctly – it just takes us longer.” Examples of slower cognitive “processing” might be difficulty remembering a name, numbers or specific details under pressure – but they come back to you later. Galvin noted that sometimes, reversible health problems mimic cognitive trouble. For example, urinary tract infections are notorious for causing sudden confusion in older people. Certain medications affect memory, as can thyroid problems, depression, even poorly controlled diabetes. Anyone who’s worried about their memory should talk to their doctor, or seek a specialist, “who can reassure you that everything’s OK or develop a treatment plan that’s specific for you,” he said.The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.MONTGOMERY, Ala. — A company has installed computerized vending machines to sell ammunition in grocery stores in Alabama, Oklahoma and Texas, allowing patrons to pick up bullets along with a gallon of milk. American Rounds said their machines use an identification scanner and facial recognition software to verify the purchaser’s age and are as DoorDash said Tuesday that it’s stepping up efforts to identify dangerous delivery drivers and remove them from its platform after a flood of complaints from cities. In a letter sent last month to DoorDash and other food delivery companies, Boston officials said they were seeing an increase in the unlawful and dangerous operation of motorcycles, NEW YORK — Target will no longer accept personal checks from shoppers as of July 15, another sign of how a once ubiquitous payment method is going the way of outmoded objects like floppy disks and the Rolodex. The Minneapolis-based discounter confirmed the move in a statement to The Associated Press on Tuesday, citing Inadequate funding and controversial measures in a budget bill could threaten what Americans know about themselves through federal data gathering, statisticians and demographers warn in a new report and a letter to U.S. congressional leaders. “Our bottom-line assessment is that federal statistics are at risk,” says the report released Tuesday by the American Statistical Association NEW YORK — Due to a shock hazard, a California company is recalling nearly 1 million power adapters sold with sound machines marketed to help infants and young children sleep. The plastic surrounding the AC power adapter that was supplied with some of Hatch’s Rest 1st generation sound machines can come off when removing EUGENE, Ore. — The U.S. Olympic team is one of a handful that will supply air conditioners for their athletes at the Paris Games in a move that undercuts organizers’ plans to cut carbon emissions. U.S. Olympic and Paralympic CEO Sarah Hirshland said Friday that while the U.S. team appreciates efforts aimed at sustainability, Founded in 1991, the GSBA Scholarship & Education Fund, with the help of Carter Subaru, has invested almost $6 million in 552 scholars.In recent years, one of the most interesting families for whale watching is the West Coast Bigg's orcas' T65A pod.Celebrities get ready to swing for a cause at Seattle All-Star Classic As the summer sun warms the Puget Sound area, the Seattle All-Star Classic celebrity softball game is gearing up for its third inning.The Seattle Storm, a powerhouse in the WNBA, is celebrating its 25th anniversary and is continuing to help kids in need through Treehouse.The Museum of Pop Culture invites you to experience pop culture like never before with its new exhibition"Massive: The Power of Pop Culture."
Please follow us on Google to support us Sports Weather Traffic Talk And Community. Home Mynorthwest.Com
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Washington Post Live - The Washington PostA compelling gathering exploring the race to research, develop and regulate the rapidly evolving technology of artificial intelligence.
Read more »
President Biden Refuses to Pardon His Son or Commute His SentenceSee multiple perspectives from NewsNation, Washington Examiner, and Washington Post at AllSides.com.
Read more »
Police seek 'armed and dangerous' person after 2 dead in southern Utah shootingWashington, Washington County, police investigated a fatal shooting Tuesday evening.
Read more »
With Biden's SAVE Plan on Hold, What's Next for Student Debt Relief?See multiple perspectives from CNBC, Washington Examiner, and Washington Post at AllSides.com.
Read more »
The Denzel Washington Crime Thriller That Was So Grim Clint Eastwood Turned It DownCustom image of Clint Eastwood and Denzel Washington as Nicky Styles holding a gun in Ricochet
Read more »
Tiny kinkajou, a rainforest critter indigenous to South America, found crawling through Washington stateOfficials were left scratching their heads this week when they found a mammal indigenous to the rainforest crawling along a stretch of desert.
Read more »