Cognitive Decline And U.S. Politics-- Try To Imagine Someone Like Dianne Feinstein In Any Office

Dr. Emily Rogalski has been studying SuperAgers for a decade. SuperAgers? What’s that? Glad you asked:

• SuperAgers are individuals who are 80 years old or older and demonstrate memory performance at least as good as individuals in their 50s and 60s.

• Her team at Northwestern study SuperAgers to gain insights into the factors that contribute to successful cognitive aging and to understand the differences between SuperAgers' brains and those who experience age-related cognitive decline.

• SuperAgers come from diverse backgrounds, have varying education levels, and have experienced different life events, including trauma and stressors.

• The research aims to understand how SuperAgers handle stress throughout their lives and whether their resilience contributes to their exceptional cognitive aging.

Scientists believe the average person's memory peaks in their 30s and begins to decline after that. SuperAgers follow a different trajectory. Their brains seem to age much slower, and when they reach the age of 80 or above, their brains look and behave like the brains of people decades younger. Individuals who are age 80 and older are at greater risk for memory decline than individuals in their 70s or 60s.

I also looked at a study by Felicia Sun and her team written up in the Journal of Neuroscience in 2016, Youthful Brains in Older Adults: Preserved Neuroanatomy in the Default Mode and Salience Networks Contributes to Youthful Memory in Superaging. “Memory performance typically declines with age, as does cortical structural integrity,” they wrote in the introduction, “yet some older adults maintain youthful memory. We tested the hypothesis that superagers (older individuals with youthful memory performance) would exhibit preserved neuroanatomy in key brain networks subserving memory. We found that superagers not only perform similarly to young adults on memory testing, they also do not show the typical patterns of brain atrophy in certain regions. These regions are contained largely within two major intrinsic brain networks: the default mode network, implicated in memory encoding, storage, and retrieval, and the salience network, associated with attention and executive processes involved in encoding and retrieval. Preserved neuroanatomical integrity in these networks is associated with better memory performance among older adults.”

Decline in cognitive skills, especially in memory, is often viewed as part of “normal” aging. Yet some individuals “age better” than others. Building on prior research showing that cortical thickness in one brain region, the anterior midcingulate cortex, is preserved in older adults with memory performance abilities equal to or better than those of people 20–30 years younger (i.e., “superagers”), we examined the structural integrity of two large-scale intrinsic brain networks in superaging: the default mode network, typically engaged during memory encoding and retrieval tasks, and the salience network, typically engaged during attention, motivation, and executive function tasks. We predicted that superagers would have preserved cortical thickness in critical nodes in these networks. We defined superagers (60–80 years old) based on their performance compared to young adults (18–32 years old) on the California Verbal Learning Test Long Delay Free Recall test. We found regions within the networks of interest where the cerebral cortex of superagers was thicker than that of typical older adults, and where superagers were anatomically indistinguishable from young adults; hippocampal volume was also preserved in superagers. Within the full group of older adults, thickness of a number of regions, including the anterior temporal cortex, rostral medial prefrontal cortex, and anterior midcingulate cortex, correlated with memory performance, as did the volume of the hippocampus. These results indicate older adults with youthful memory abilities have youthful brain regions in key paralimbic and limbic nodes of the default mode and salience networks that support attentional, executive, and mnemonic processes subserving memory function.

Wonder what brought me to these two academic studies today? A friend sent me a Raw Story post by Bobby Azarian, a cognitive neuroscientist, about the dangers inherent in Biden’s cognitive health— and no, he’s not a super-ager… nor is Trump, who will be 78 next year when Biden is 82. Both should have retired by now. “While it is clear,” wrote Azarian, “that age does not necessarily equate to cognitive impairment, science tells us that cognitive decline is an inevitable part of aging. Studies show a slow but steady decrease in cognitive abilities, including memory and processing speed, typically starting around the age of 60, though it may occur earlier in life for some (unless you are lucky enough to be a ‘super-ager’). Biden, despite his general physical health, is not immune to these biological realities. Over the past few years, we have seen instances that have raised eyebrows, even among his staunchest supporters. Biden's frequent stumbling over words, forgetting names, or losing his train of thought mid-sentence— they may seem innocuous, chalked up to the stress and exhaustion of the job. But they do raise questions about his cognitive health, especially since Biden isn’t getting any younger.”

For example, in a recent speech, Biden made some perplexing statements that were quickly exploited by his critics and ideological enemies, such as, “We have plans to build a railroad from the Pacific all the way across the Indian ocean … I could go on but I’m not; I’m going off script, I’m going to get in trouble.”

This example may seem not worth mentioning, but it is just one of many gaffes that collectively indicate that there may be a reason for concern. Even if there’s no reason to believe the confusion or difficulty articulating policy or current events is affecting his ability to lead, it could certainly affect his ability to debate the eventual Republican presidential nominee., If Biden displays the kind of word salad that has become routine for him over the last couple of years, it could very well hand the presidency to Trump. (Or, say, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.)

I know those words are painful to hear right now, but they are a lot less painful than watching Trump get re-elected because no one wanted to say the obvious out of fear of upsetting the tribe.

Whether Biden really suffers from cognitive impairment, it is clear that Americans are paying attention and are concerned. A new poll conducted by ABC and the Washington Post reveals that people’s opinions have been influenced by the media coverage of Biden’s behavior. It showed that 54 percent of respondents believe Trump possesses the mental acuity necessary to perform efficiently as president, while only 32 percent felt Biden displayed the same trait.

Of course, it is completely impossible to know the extent of Biden’s cognitive problems without a detailed clinical assessment— the president has released a summary, but not full details from his 2023 medical check-up— and for that reason you will read opinion pieces with wildly different perspectives on the topic.

An article titled “Let’s Fact Check Biden’s So-Called Mental Decline” was published at The Independent this week arguing that the accusations of mental decline are politically motivated and unjustified. While there is no doubt that the attacks on Biden coming from the right are politically motivated, it is not true that all of the criticisms are unwarranted. If we pretend that nothing is out of the ordinary with Biden simply because he is on our political team, then we are no better than the conservatives who ignore Trump’s pathological lying and narcissism.

Despite the potential problems with Biden’s cognition, I can say with reasonable certainty that he would still make a significantly more competent president than Trump.

In January 2016, almost a year before Trump won the election, I wrote an article for Raw Story called "Trump has a mental disorder that makes him a dangerous world leader,” which was followed by many similar articles over the course of his presidency. From my research and analysis, it is clear to me that Biden’s predictable and tempered leadership style is a far safer bet than Trump's divisive rhetoric, malignant narcissism and erratic unpredictability. A Business Insider article titled “350 health professionals sign letter to Congress claiming Trump’s mental health is deteriorating dangerously amid impeachment proceedings” shows that many medical practitioners agree.

However, the question is not whether Biden is better than Trump, but whether Biden is the best presidential candidate the Democrats have to offer. We must think long and hard about a difficult dilemma, because a failure to do so could lead to a catastrophic mistake.

At this moment, there is simply not enough information about Biden’s cognitive health to be able to accurately assess his vulnerability in the upcoming election. But I can tell you this— if Biden fumbles his way through the 2024 campaign, gets destroyed in the presidential debates and loses as a result, everyone is going to ask, “How did this happen? Who thought it was wise to place the burden of warding off autocracy on an octogenarian grappling with cognitive decline? ? Who is to blame for handing the presidency to Donald Trump?”

Perhaps there’s still time to consider another Democratic candidate. It won’t be the first time a sitting president didn’t run for a second term. There are six presidents who chose not to seek re-election, including Lyndon B. Johnson, who publicly cited health issues as the main reason for the choice. Although Biden says he’s in the race to win, there is absolutely no shame in reversing such a decision, and depending on how the next few months go for Biden, it may be the only responsible thing to do.

To be clear, I am not saying stepping aside is the right thing for Biden to do, because I know I lack the information needed to determine that with any confidence.

But I am saying that it could be, and if we simply ignore the issue, we could be risking everything.

Biden and the people around him— who run day to day governance— sincerely believe he is the only one who can beat Trump. They also feel that there would be no way to deny Kamala the nomination if he were to drop out and that her chances of winning— even in a lesser of two evils election— would be minimal. In case you haven’t been following. These are the latest favorability ratings (registered voters only) from YouGov:

• Elon Musk- 48% favorable, 45% unfavorable

• Mark Zuckerberg- 26% favorable, 63% unfavorable

• Meatball Ron- 40% favorable, 49% unfavorable

• Chris Christie- 24% favorable, 58% unfavorable

• Nikki Haley- 31% favorable, 41% unfavorable

• Mike Pence- 34% favorable, 60% unfavorable

• Señor Trumpanzee- 42% favorable, 57% unfavorable

• Joe Biden- 41% favorable, 56% unfavorable

• Kamala- 38% favorable, 57% unfavorable

• Kevin McCarthy- 31% favorable, 48% unfavorable

• Mitch McConnell- 20% favorable, 66% unfavorable

• Chuck Schumer- 32% favorable, 49% unfavorable

• Hakeem Jeffries- 27% favorable, 31% unfavorable

Look at that, everyone’s underwater… except Elon Musk, which is really depressing. And, as I suspected this would turn out, Kamala looks especially bad, abovce average unfavorables and really pathetic favorables.

OK, this has nothing to do with Biden or Trump but since we’re all getting older, I thought I’d give you a list of what to do to stave off cognitive decline (as much as it can be staved off):

• Engage in mentally stimulating activities, such as puzzles, brain games, reading, learning new skills, or taking up hobbies that require critical thinking. Keeping the brain active can help maintain cognitive function. Stay away from MAGAts.

• Regular physical activity is always linked to better brain health. Aim for a mix of aerobic exercises, strength training, and flexibility exercises. Physical activity increases blood flow to the brain and can support the growth of new neurons.

• Eat a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, lean proteins (non-animal proteins are best), and healthy fats. Nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and B-vitamins are particularly beneficial for brain health.

• Prioritize quality sleep, as it plays a crucial role in memory consolidation and overall brain function. Most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per night.

• Stay socially connected with family and friends. Engaging in social activities can reduce feelings of isolation and improve cognitive health. Social engagement is associated with better cognitive outcomes. But, remember, stay away from MAGAts.

• Chronic stress has negative effects on the brain. Adopt stress-reduction techniques such as meditation, yoga, deep breathing, or mindfulness practices. And stay away from MAGAts.

• Manage chronic health conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. Keeping these conditions under control seems to benefit brain health.

• Too much booze and any amount of smoking are detrimental to brain health. Moderation or, preferably, abstinence is advisable.

• Proper hydration is essential for overall health, including brain function. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, especially in the kind of hot weather we’re experiencing now.

And, while we're on the topic, no one likes a whiny little bitch... especially not one who is as deranged as this one: