Experts say Trumps speech deterioration is a clear sign of early dementia

[Jimbo101]

Rawstory

STAT News (original article)

Alternet (similar article arriving at a similar conclusion)

STAT asked experts to compare Trump's speech from decades ago to that in 2017. All noticed deterioration, which may signal changes in Trump's brain health.

It was the kind of utterance that makes professional transcribers question their career choice:

" … there is no collusion between certainly myself and my campaign, but I can always speak for myself - and the Russians, zero."

When President Trump offered that response to a question at a press conference last week, it was the latest example of his tortured syntax, mid-thought changes of subject, and apparent trouble formulating complete sentences, let alone a coherent paragraph, in unscripted speech.

He was not always so linguistically challenged.

STAT reviewed decades of Trump's on-air interviews and compared them to Q&A sessions since his inauguration. The differences are striking and unmistakable.

Research has shown that changes in speaking style can result from cognitive decline. STAT therefore asked experts in neurolinguistics and cognitive assessment, as well as psychologists and psychiatrists, to compare Trump's speech from decades ago to that in 2017; they all agreed there had been a deterioration, and some said it could reflect changes in the health of Trump's brain.

In interviews Trump gave in the 1980s and 1990s (with Tom Brokaw, David Letterman, Oprah Winfrey, Charlie Rose, and others), he spoke articulately, used sophisticated vocabulary, inserted dependent clauses into his sentences without losing his train of thought, and strung together sentences into a polished paragraph, which - and this is no mean feat - would have scanned just fine in print. This was so even when reporters asked tough questions about, for instance, his divorce, his brush with bankruptcy, and why he doesn't build housing for working-class Americans.

Trump fluently peppered his answers with words and phrases such as "subsided," "inclination," "discredited," "sparring session," and "a certain innate intelligence." He tossed off well-turned sentences such as, "It could have been a contentious route," and, "These are the only casinos in the United States that are so rated." He even offered thoughtful, articulate aphorisms: "If you get into what's missing, you don't appreciate what you have," and, "Adversity is a very funny thing."

Now, Trump's vocabulary is simpler. He repeats himself over and over, and lurches from one subject to an unrelated one, as in this answer during an interview with the Associated Press last month:

"People want the border wall. My base definitely wants the border wall, my base really wants it - you've been to many of the rallies. OK, the thing they want more than anything is the wall. My base, which is a big base; I think my base is 45 percent. You know, it's funny. The Democrats, they have a big advantage in the Electoral College. Big, big, big advantage. … The Electoral College is very difficult for a Republican to win, and I will tell you, the people want to see it. They want to see the wall."

The experts noted clear changes from Trump's unscripted answers 30 years ago to those in 2017, in some cases stark enough to raise questions about his brain health. They noted, however, that the same sort of linguistic decline can also reflect stress, frustration, anger, or just plain fatigue.

[Wounded Bear]

1. We know he isn't qualified to be in the job...

the precise reason doesn't matter much. He's gonna get more people killed than he already has.

[CountAllVotes]

2. Yes,

and his goal is to finish off millions more if he has his sick way.

FUCK YOU tRUMP!!!

[steve2470]

3. My theory is he is also employing the GWB ploy which calls for using folksy language

He's from NYC, so he can't pull folksy off too well but he can pull off "man of the people" for those stupid enough to believe he is a man of the people. I think his lizard brain comprehends that using "high falutin" language only hurts him with his stupid uneducated fascist base, so he avoids it. Dementia, probably that also.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

4. I'd also wonder if that linguistic decline isn't simply

what happens when you never read anything at all, only watch Fox News, never engage in actual conversations with anyone. The mind is a "use it or lose it" sort of thing.

[Wounded Bear]

5. And when all of your expressive talent is confined to 140 characters...

Internet speak is generally not high intellect, if you know what I mean. Twitter speak is worse.

He has attributes of the typical internet poster:

Excessive use of superlatives for one, no nuance or subtlety allowed.

A very limited vocabulary, leading to over-repetitious use of a short list of adjectives.

Gratuitous use of insults, and lack of any desire to admit being an asshole.

Calling others thin skinned if they take exception to the insults and derision.

He's a troll. He may be a troll descending into dementia, but he's still a troll.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

16. Yep. I don't happen to use the Twitter,

so I will express myself as fully as I think I need to when I want to say something. Especially here. Or the rare times I rant on FB.

[bdamomma]

6. it's just a matter of time

before he just looses it. Between his unhealthy diet and anger issues he will have some sort of medical episode.

[zipplewrath]

9. He won't be impeached

I've thought for a while that if the GOP gets to a point where they believe they have to get rid of him, they won't impeach him. They will get the cabinet to declare him incapable of staying in office. We'll get the whole "we've lost a great treasure but for the good of the country..." crap and they'll turn him into a martyr. Don't be surprised if something gets put into Trumpcare that gives lip service to the needs of dementia and Alzheimer patients.

[Orrex]

10. That's an interesting take on it.

I've thought that they would only impeach him if he started to represent a serious threat to their ability to hold onto their House and Senate majorities, but your formulation seems chillingly more plausible.

If they impeach, they'll claim that they've proven themselves as the mature party willing to put the nation's interests above the interests of their party, and the media will praise them for it endlessly.

But if they remove him under the 25th, then they'll portray themselves as the mature party willing to put the nation's interests first, even at the expense of their president, and the media will praise them for it endlessly.

[zipplewrath]

11. Endlessly

And it will give them cover from critics. They will express great remorse. They'll make him a martyr. And they'll never have to address his comments or complaints because he will be cast as the victim of a terrible disease. And Pence will get to do the whole "carrying on his vision" schtick.

[Jimbo101]

12. They'll "Reaganize" him

[bdamomma]

18. What will it take???

I know the repigs (that filthy party) will want to save face, but again it's their party over country.

Treasonous bastards all of them. He just needs to GO!!

[zipplewrath]

19. It will be about 2018

As soon as his behavior threatens serious damage to them in 2018, especially a loss of both Houses, they'll act. If his behavior gets unavoidably bad, they'll be at that point.

[dem in texas]

7. Slipping up with his words

Meeting with "King Solomon" and "lasting peach" were two word slip-ups that I noticed. Also at one of his last rallies, he had trouble reading the teleprompter and was using incorrect words.

[zipplewrath]

8. Sounds like my father

Last edited Tue May 23, 2017, 03:10 PM - Edit history (1)

I'm no expert, but his public speaking has reminded me of when my father first started his decline into dementia. At the earliest stages, they start to struggle for words, especially proper nouns. They also begin to talk themselves into "corners" where they have no real point to what they are saying, so they make up stuff to appear to have had a point. But it quickly becomes absurd stuff. It was like that "priming the pump" schtick. They get to a point where they have no idea what they are talking about, so they quickly go on a tangent, and it is a ridiculous tangent in an attempt to sound "smarter" or more accomplished. They repeat things, especially phrases, as a delaying tactic to figure out what to say next.

His short attention span is another suggestive indicator. They really can't follow for too long, because they are in essence "forgetting" the beginning of the conversation, so they get fidgety which comes off as "bored" when it is really that they are completely lost.

And this last schtick in Israel where he was "exhausted". It doesn't take much for people in this condition to become completely incapable of engagement at all. Dad started taking more and more "naps" where it wasn't clear he was sleeping at all, but merely lying quietly and resting without distraction. It was taking everything he had to just engage, much less actually comprehend.

[SharonClark]

17. I had the same experience with my dad and his early dementia

You explained it well.

[geek tragedy]

13. it was his obvious stupidity that fueled his appeal amongst uneducated white voters nt

[renate]

14. I think it's really significant that this article was in Stat

Admittedly, they are no fans of Trump. They have a standing feature on the harm that Trump has done to healthcare and to health and science research in the past 24 hours, but that's only because he is harming healthcare and health and science research, not because they're innately anti-GOP or anything. It's a serious website.

[Paladin]

15. Glad this research is being done and being publicized.

It confirms a lot of suspicions I've been harboring.

[zipplewrath]

20. Whisper campaign

There are so many "ordinary" people out there that experienced this in their loved ones that a whisper campaign may develop organically. It will become more unavoidable if this is what is really happening. From where he is now, it would only be about 3 years tops before it was beyond obvious. And really, Pence has a vested interest in this panning out sooner than later so that he can step in and "right the ship" (to the right so to speak).

If this is really happening, there will be alot of people in a position to become aware. It will be an interesting test of character for a few people. Forget politics, it will become an issue of integrity. How long do you sit back and do nothing about potentially the most dangerous situation in government. Pence really ought to think about this because he can't afford to have other people step forward before him. The AG, the CJS, and a few other cabinet and National Security related positions are the ones that are most burdened with stepping forward if they really see this develop. But if there is any hint that Pence should have been aware, but avoided facing the reality, it could sink him.

[Paladin]

21. Whisper campaign? Count me in. (nt)