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The doctor behind a cognitive test Trump took says ‘it’s supposed to be easy’
Market Watch ^ | 07/21/2020 | By Nicole Lyn Pesce

Posted on 07/22/2020 6:24:17 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

The doctor who developed a widely used test that screens for early signs of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease says that cognition is “a pertinent question” during a presidential election with presumptive candidates over age 70. Problem is, both sides of the political divide are interpreting this test incorrectly.

Dr. Ziad Nasreddine in 1996 developed and copyrighted the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test, which is a 10-minute examination usually performed with pen and paper that measures the strengths of different areas of the brain related to cognitive domains, such as short-term memory, spatial awareness and executive functioning. (Remote testing, including via an app on the Apple AAPL, -1.38% iPad, has been expanded during the pandemic.)

And he tells MarketWatch that the MoCA Clinic & Institute has been inundated with calls and emails over the past week or so, ever since President Donald Trump bragged in a phone interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity 10 days ago that he had recently “aced” a cognitive test at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Trump also said that medical staff were “very surprised” by how well he did. “They said, ‘That’s an unbelievable thing. Rarely does anybody do what you just did.’ ”

While the White House did not release any details of this most recent test, the president did take the MoCA exam in 2018, when he was said to have gotten a perfect score of 30, which has put this particular test in the spotlight. What’s more, during a second Fox News interview aired on Sunday, Chris Wallace told the president that the MoCA is “not the hardest test” and even posted graphics of one of the questions, which asked the test taker to identify drawings of animals.

(Excerpt) Read more at marketwatch.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 2020election; cognitivetest; dnctalkingpoint; dnctalkingpoints; election2020; marketwatch; mediawingofthednc; nicolelynpesce; partisanmediashills; presstitutes; smearmachine; trump; ziadnasreddine
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1 posted on 07/22/2020 6:24:17 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Joe Biden agrees. It IS easy.

When the answer is always 42.


2 posted on 07/22/2020 6:25:57 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd (Click my screen name for an analysis on how HIllary wins next November.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Very Stable Genius


3 posted on 07/22/2020 6:30:13 AM PDT by Religion and Politics (It is time for more than one denomination of "Political Correctness".)
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To: SeekAndFind

Well let’s put both Biden and Trump in a room and make them take the MMPA.


4 posted on 07/22/2020 6:30:23 AM PDT by Mr. K (NO CONSEQUENCE OF REPEALING OBAMACARE IS WORSE THAN OBAMACARE ITSELF)
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To: SeekAndFind

They have added a little mental/memory testing bit to the “Free” annual checkup for Seniors. This well checkup appears to be only to create stats. More and more seniors are opting out...including myself.


5 posted on 07/22/2020 6:30:40 AM PDT by Sacajaweau
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To: Mr. K

A better test will be getting both on the debate stage


6 posted on 07/22/2020 6:34:53 AM PDT by I-ambush (One foot in the grave, one foot on the pedal I was born to rebel.)
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To: Sacajaweau

How do you opt out?


7 posted on 07/22/2020 6:39:00 AM PDT by RWGinger (Does anyone else really)
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Arthur Wildfire! March; Berosus; Bockscar; cardinal4; ColdOne; ...
Market Watch, another DNC stooge org.
cdfvxbvcvbcvbcv

Partisan Media Shills update.


8 posted on 07/22/2020 6:39:06 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: SeekAndFind

My now departed mother feared the ravages of Alzheimer’s and her little strokes.

When I visited, my conversations consisted of recitations of lists. She was testing her memory by reciting the list of the kids in order of a well known family of ten children. She would recite marriages of people in my high school class. She would recite detailed vacation events of 40 years ago and on and on.

Her memory was good but perhaps specific synapses were restored to produce the recall. Memory is not actually lost, but rather the path to old and unused memory gets a low priority.

Since there was no time stress, she had no Biden like gaffes or mis recitations.


9 posted on 07/22/2020 6:39:15 AM PDT by bert ( (KE. NP. N.C. +12) Progressives are existential American enemies)
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To: SeekAndFind

I’m missing why people keep talking about this test. Did Trump fail this easy test?


10 posted on 07/22/2020 6:40:06 AM PDT by cuban leaf (The political war playing out in every country now: Globalists vs Nationalists)
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To: SeekAndFind

Ask Nan to take it, bet she won’t!


11 posted on 07/22/2020 6:41:21 AM PDT by SMARTY (Freedom from effort in the present means effort has been stored up, in the past. T Roosevelt)
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To: SeekAndFind

The term easy imo is subjective. What is easy for a 20 yr old may be much more difficult for a senior in his 70’s.

The answer is to have both men tested using the same testing criteria so we can compare apples to apples. I seriously doubt Biden will do this and frankly we already know from seeing him speak that he has issues.


12 posted on 07/22/2020 6:41:29 AM PDT by billyboy15
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To: SeekAndFind

Just remember—well, we might want to write it down—the picture of the camel is actually a Dromedary. THAT will impress the shrink giving the test.

You won’t get extra points, but it makes up for counting back by 7. (Just kidding. We should all practice the counting thing.)


13 posted on 07/22/2020 6:48:42 AM PDT by Vermont Lt
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To: Sacajaweau

Do you think they are going to “sneak up on you” and toss you into elder housing?

For God’s sake, they are trying to establish a baseline.

Sometimes you guys see conspiracies where there are none.


14 posted on 07/22/2020 6:50:49 AM PDT by Vermont Lt
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To: cuban leaf

The last five questions are not easy. Wallace didn’t know the right answers.


15 posted on 07/22/2020 6:54:28 AM PDT by Lisbon1940 (No full-term Governors (at the time of election))
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To: RWGinger

I would imagine by just declining to take the test. I doubt it is a mandatory test.


16 posted on 07/22/2020 6:57:30 AM PDT by Robert DeLong
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To: RWGinger
I'm 76. I simply opt out of the annual well check.

They measure and weigh you, look in your eyes and ears, whack your knee and take your BP.

I check my BP at Wegmans, weigh myself, go for my annual eye checkup with my real eye doctor, have good daily functions with normal old age aches and pains. Basically, I feel damn good but I have good genes. Female 5'3" 115 lbs BP 115/62.

17 posted on 07/22/2020 6:57:34 AM PDT by Sacajaweau
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To: Responsibility2nd

“Joe Biden agrees. It IS easy.”

That’s why I had to take it over and over again.


18 posted on 07/22/2020 6:58:08 AM PDT by faucetman (Just the facts, ma'am, Just the facts)
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To: SeekAndFind

It has problems like, “Draw a clock that shows the time is ten minutes before 11.”

It’s very easy for folks with a normally functioning minds.

It can be a stumper for those with dementia.


19 posted on 07/22/2020 6:58:12 AM PDT by Travis McGee (EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
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To: cuban leaf

I think President Trump said that he aced the test, so the media has to respond that it’s an easy test that people are supposed to ace. So let’s see Biden’s results.


20 posted on 07/22/2020 6:58:14 AM PDT by kaboom
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