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The expert also dismissed Trump’s health exam as insufficient.
The expert also dismissed Trump’s health exam as insufficient.
What is happening?
U.S. President Donald Trump should undergo an Alzheimer’s test, according to neuropsychologist Dr Narinder Kapur.
Speaking to Express, the expert raised concerns over Trump’s recent “odd and strange” behavior, suggesting it could point to early cognitive decline.
While stopping short of diagnosing him, Dr Kapur said some recent statements and actions were enough to warrant proper medical evaluation.
Bizarre claims raise red flag
Dr Kapur pointed to several instances of unusual remarks made by Trump, including his desire to make Canada the 51st U.S. state and his idea of buying Greenland.
While these may seem political or strategic, the neuropsychologist found them strange enough to raise the alarm.
Concerns of Frontotemporal Dementia
Although Alzheimer’s disease is often discussed in such contexts, Dr Kapur suggested that frontotemporal dementia might be more likely, if anything.
“Some of his behaviour over the last six months has been really quite bizarre,” he noted, emphasizing this specific form of dementia can affect behavior, decision-making, and social appropriateness.
Paracetamol, autism, and questionable statements
One particularly troubling moment for Dr Kapur was Trump linking autism to paracetamol.
While the president may have been influenced by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the neuropsychologist still found Trump’s willingness to make such statements “odd and bizarre.”
Factually incorrect or confused?
Dr Kapur noted Trump’s inaccurate claim of being the first U.S. president welcomed at Windsor Castle.
In reality, multiple presidents—including Reagan, Bush, Obama, and Biden—had visited before.
The expert suggested this could be a case of confabulation, a symptom sometimes seen in cognitive decline.
Alaska or Russia?
Before the Alaska Summit, Trump claimed he was heading to Russia to meet Vladimir Putin, when in fact the peace summit occurred in Alaska.
Dr Kapur called this type of error “more concerning,” implying that it’s the kind of slip-up worth investigating medically, not just politically.
Politics or cognitive error?
Dr Kapur acknowledged the blurred lines between political maneuvering and genuine confusion.
For instance, Trump’s denial of knowing Peter Mandelson (member of the House of Lords in the UK) could have been strategic.
However, the specialist questioned: “To what extent… is this a real error, or is he trying to get out of it in some way?”
A call for better testing standards
Despite a clean bill of health from White House physician Captain Sean Barbabella, Dr Kapur remains skeptical.
The exam included only a brief physical and a basic 10-minute cognitive test known as the Montreal Cognitive Assessment—something the expert dismisses as insufficient for detecting deeper issues.
Real cognitive assessment takes hours
Dr Kapur explained that a proper neurological evaluation involves assessing five key brain functions: memory, concentration, language, visuospatial skills, and executive function.
“That will never give you a picture for cognitive assessment,” he said of the brief test Trump reportedly took.
A global risk if signs are missed
Warning of the global implications of missed early signs of dementia in world leaders, Dr Kapur is urging governments to implement regular, detailed cognitive testing for politicians over 70.
“Before it’s too late,” he said, adding that early symptoms may go unnoticed until significant decisions are affected.
What are the symptoms?
Early symptoms of dimensia may appear some time before the actual diagnosis.
According to the NHS, early symptoms include:
- mood changes
- struggling to follow a conversation or find the right word
- memory loss
- being confused about time and place
- difficulty concentrating
- finding it hard to carry out familiar daily tasks, such as getting confused over the correct change when shopping
This article is made and published by Jens Asbjørn Bogen, which may have used AI in the preparation
