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Miles Archer

(21,783 posts)
Sun Dec 21, 2025, 03:35 PM Dec 21

Psychologist: THREE Cognitive Tests means you're monitoring dementia, not assessing it

Trump’s boasts about passing cognitive tests suggest he’s being monitored for the progression of dementia, one psychologist says.

Dr. John Gartner told The Daily Beast Podcast that the 79-year-old president’s claim to have “aced” three Montreal Cognitive Assessments could be more than simple routine screenings for the degenerative disease.

“You know, he kind of gave the game away again, as he often does,” Gartner, a former professor at Johns Hopkins, told co-host Joanna Coles about Trump claiming to have passed a test in front of “large numbers of doctors and experts, most of whom I do not know.”

“You could maybe justify giving someone the MoCA once, just on their age, just as part of a physical. If you’re giving it to him three times, that means you’re not assessing dementia. That means you’re monitoring dementia,” Gartner said.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-mental-decline-is-accelerating-psychologist/

37 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Psychologist: THREE Cognitive Tests means you're monitoring dementia, not assessing it (Original Post) Miles Archer Dec 21 OP
So we really need cognitive tests to monitor his dementia? dem4decades Dec 21 #1
Yes -- especially if he's taking medication for it Rocknation Dec 21 #8
I meant his cognitive decline is in plain sight. dem4decades Dec 21 #16
We may recognize it, but prodessionals need to monitor for the reasons OP mentions. marble falls Dec 21 #29
Why bother, they never say anything. Trump's 6'4" , 239 pounds, his doctor said so. dem4decades Dec 21 #34
Yes meds might need adjusting or outright changing dsc Dec 21 #11
Also he thinks it's something to brag about bucolic_frolic Dec 21 #2
Because he claims they are IQ tests. What an imbecile. n/t iluvtennis Dec 21 #12
Doubt he knows what the word cognitive means. He evidently just learned what the allegorical oracle Dec 21 #13
I suspect that his handlers have to tell him these cognitive tests are IQ tests to get him to perform them Niagara Dec 21 #24
My first thought after reading the OP. marble falls Dec 21 #30
Yep. n/t iluvtennis Dec 21 #36
Tangential to the article and completely anecdotal, markodochartaigh Dec 21 #3
It's being done so they can bill for it.🤬 Phoenix61 Dec 21 #9
I'm wondering, since it was done by the nurse aide, markodochartaigh Dec 21 #21
Administered by the nurse by the results were assessed Phoenix61 Dec 21 #22
Well, it was the nurse aide who administered the test. markodochartaigh Dec 21 #23
I didn't mean my previous comment to be snappy. markodochartaigh Dec 21 #26
No doubt, I'm an LCSW but get called Doctor on Phoenix61 Dec 21 #37
Every piece of evidence is anecdotal by itself. There's nothing inherently wrong with anecdote. You asked a ... marble falls Dec 21 #31
Hw couldn't pass the DU membership qualifying exam. 😎 usonian Dec 21 #4
MONITORING dementia means you HAVE dementia Rocknation Dec 21 #5
Trumps the most cognitive person ever... lame54 Dec 21 #6
It's yuge! marble falls Dec 21 #32
Yes, I've had it as part of a physical. ananda Dec 21 #7
I have no medical training whatever, but even I can understand that. My post ... eppur_se_muova Dec 21 #10
Isn't this test the same one all of us on Medicare take once a year during our wellness exam? Cheezoholic Dec 21 #14
I had the doctor's aide ask me to draw a clock and remember a few words at my last wellness appt. Katinfl Dec 21 #15
It was on mine recently. I am 63 and considered disabled. Not sure if that has anything to do with it. Cheezoholic Dec 21 #19
I put the 12 at the top then did 3, 6, 9 and filled in the rest. Easy. Katinfl Dec 21 #25
With digital clocks and watches being standard today, this test spooky3 Dec 21 #28
They asked me to put in the sweep hand and locked me up when I put a broom on my clock face! marble falls Dec 21 #33
Just effin croak malaise Dec 21 #17
It takes effort to not wish death on this one individual. I have to fight with it every day. I do want him in prison. .. marble falls Dec 21 #35
That was generous TNNurse Dec 21 #18
His repeatedly telling us about them... relayerbob Dec 21 #20
I wondered why there were so many "tests". marble falls Dec 21 #27

Rocknation

(44,982 posts)
8. Yes -- especially if he's taking medication for it
Sun Dec 21, 2025, 04:51 PM
Dec 21

which can have the possible side effects of your brain swelling or bleeding.

P.S. Two dementia medications in particular are administered intravenously, which might explain the bruising on that back of his hands.

More


Rocknation

allegorical oracle

(6,184 posts)
13. Doubt he knows what the word cognitive means. He evidently just learned what the
Sun Dec 21, 2025, 06:08 PM
Dec 21

word "sycophant" means, but he mispronounced it as SYNCophants".

Niagara

(11,525 posts)
24. I suspect that his handlers have to tell him these cognitive tests are IQ tests to get him to perform them
Sun Dec 21, 2025, 09:26 PM
Dec 21

I'm banking they tell him what a great job he did, how smart he is and then he repeats what they tell him.


If his handlers didn't lie to him he most likely wouldn't perform these tests since he's defiant and has a terrible temperament.


It's similar to having a young child and getting them to complete tasks and to insure they behave themselves.

markodochartaigh

(5,029 posts)
3. Tangential to the article and completely anecdotal,
Sun Dec 21, 2025, 04:01 PM
Dec 21

my sister mentioned having been given the MoCA by a nurse's aide while waiting for her primary care physician. Although she is 66 there was no other clinical indication for the test. The practice has recently adopted a more efficient model and requires patients to be in the room thirty minutes before the appointment or the appointment is rescheduled. This is in Amarillo and I wonder if the MoCA is being done so that patients can say that they got the same test as Trump.

markodochartaigh

(5,029 posts)
21. I'm wondering, since it was done by the nurse aide,
Sun Dec 21, 2025, 06:31 PM
Dec 21

if they can bill for it. My sister's primary care physician is a personal friend, but the practice has undergone a transition towards improved profitability.

Phoenix61

(18,702 posts)
22. Administered by the nurse by the results were assessed
Sun Dec 21, 2025, 08:36 PM
Dec 21

by the doctor. Not saying that’s what happened but…

markodochartaigh

(5,029 posts)
23. Well, it was the nurse aide who administered the test.
Sun Dec 21, 2025, 08:50 PM
Dec 21

My sister is a nurse practitioner, so she is well able to identify a nurse aide.

markodochartaigh

(5,029 posts)
26. I didn't mean my previous comment to be snappy.
Sun Dec 21, 2025, 09:37 PM
Dec 21

I'm a registered nurse and I vividly remember a doctor giving detailed orders on a critically ill patient to a nurse aide who had only the most rudimentary English fluency. Fortunately I was listening to the whole episode. It is a valid point to observe that sometimes health care workers may not be properly identified by patients or others.

Phoenix61

(18,702 posts)
37. No doubt, I'm an LCSW but get called Doctor on
Sun Dec 21, 2025, 11:04 PM
Dec 21

occasion. When that happens I do some education on the difference between a psychiatrist, a psychologist, and an LCSW.

marble falls

(71,086 posts)
31. Every piece of evidence is anecdotal by itself. There's nothing inherently wrong with anecdote. You asked a ...
Sun Dec 21, 2025, 10:03 PM
Dec 21

... a good question based on your anecdote!

usonian

(23,549 posts)
4. Hw couldn't pass the DU membership qualifying exam. 😎
Sun Dec 21, 2025, 04:13 PM
Dec 21

You know what he passed?



This.

After three hours.

With a hammer.

Rocknation

(44,982 posts)
5. MONITORING dementia means you HAVE dementia
Sun Dec 21, 2025, 04:42 PM
Dec 21

Having dementia while a U.S. president means that you've GOT to go, and IMMEDIATELY. And CONCEALING that you have dementia because you're a U.S. president who wants to CONTINUE to be a U.S. President means that you've got to go DIRECTLY TO JAIL.


Rocknation

ananda

(34,428 posts)
7. Yes, I've had it as part of a physical.
Sun Dec 21, 2025, 04:44 PM
Dec 21

It was no problem, though I know I have some
cognitive decline due to age.

Cheezoholic

(3,532 posts)
14. Isn't this test the same one all of us on Medicare take once a year during our wellness exam?
Sun Dec 21, 2025, 06:11 PM
Dec 21

Wonder what his clock looks like lol

Katinfl

(641 posts)
15. I had the doctor's aide ask me to draw a clock and remember a few words at my last wellness appt.
Sun Dec 21, 2025, 06:15 PM
Dec 21

First time ever. So you say it is now part of a Medicare thing? I am 78.

Cheezoholic

(3,532 posts)
19. It was on mine recently. I am 63 and considered disabled. Not sure if that has anything to do with it.
Sun Dec 21, 2025, 06:25 PM
Dec 21

Its why I asked. I was surprised as it was my first one. And when asked to draw the clock I was surprised as I put 1 at the top then just before I put 2 I paused and put the 2 next to the 1 lol. Little slippage there but I hadn't drawn a clock in maybe 50 years lol.

Katinfl

(641 posts)
25. I put the 12 at the top then did 3, 6, 9 and filled in the rest. Easy.
Sun Dec 21, 2025, 09:33 PM
Dec 21

Then she had me do the time 10:50. I looked at my watch because I did not remember which was the minute hand, etc. Of course I can tell time, but when was the last time you had to draw a picture of one? I cheated and looked at my wristwatch , lol. Next time I will remember.

spooky3

(38,273 posts)
28. With digital clocks and watches being standard today, this test
Sun Dec 21, 2025, 09:58 PM
Dec 21

IMHO has a different meaning than it would have had 10+ years ago.

marble falls

(71,086 posts)
33. They asked me to put in the sweep hand and locked me up when I put a broom on my clock face!
Sun Dec 21, 2025, 10:07 PM
Dec 21

marble falls

(71,086 posts)
35. It takes effort to not wish death on this one individual. I have to fight with it every day. I do want him in prison. ..
Sun Dec 21, 2025, 10:10 PM
Dec 21

... Real prison, like they did to Bernie Madoff, the Enron crooks, and John Gotti.

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