Subtitles section Play video Print subtitles A REMATCH BETWEEN BIDEN AND TRUMP, THE AGES OF BOTH MEN ARE PROBABLY VOTERS. WE LOOK AT THE QUESTIONS MANY HAVE AROUND AGING, MEMORY, AND THE PRESIDENCY. >> AGES MUCH MORE THAN JUST A NUMBER. IT IS A POTENTIAL LIABILITY. WE WILL FOCUS ON SOME OF THE QUESTIONS PEOPLE HAVE. THIS AMOUNTS TO AN ONGOING CONVERSATION ABOUT AGE. >> I LIVED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. I AM 71 YEARS OLD. NEITHER CANDIDATE HAS IT TOGETHER IN MY VIEW. THEY BOTH HAVE SERIOUS SHORTCOMINGS WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR CLARITY. >> I AM 77 YEARS OLD. WHEN CHUCK GRASSLEY WAS RUNNING FOR REELECTION AT 90 FOR ANOTHER SIX-YEAR TERM, WHICH IS VOTERS GAVE HIM, NOBODY SAID A WORD. >> I LIVED IN NORTH CAROLINA. I'M 70 YEARS OLD. I WOULD NOT HAVE THE STAMINA TO BE PRESIDENT. I THINK IT IS WORTH THINKING ABOUT. AT THE SAME TIME, THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE. >> I LIVE IN VIRGINIA. I AM 77 YEARS OLD. I THINK PRESIDENT BIDEN IS VERY COMPETENT AND VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE. IF SHE HAS GAFFES, I DON'T EVENT AFFECTS HIS ABILITY. >> NOBODY SAID ANYTHING ABOUT WARREN BUFFETT OR JANE FONDA OR DR. FAUCI OR MICK JAGGER OR HARRISON FORD. THINK INVOLVE THE PEOPLE WHO IN THEIR 80'S OR 90'S CONTRIBUTED TO SOCIETY. USING MARTIN SCORSESE NEEDS TO TAKE A TEST BEFORE HE DOES HIS NEXT MOVIE? >> VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY IS A STELLAR EXAMPLE. MACROS, THESE GUYS ARE YOUNGER, MORE ENERGETIC THAN EITHER OF THE TWO CANDIDATES THAT WE HAVE. >> I HAVE SEEN SOME PEOPLE LIST THAT MEDICAL COGNITIVE TEST REQUIREMENT. I THINK TO MYSELF, DO WE DO THIS JUST FOR THE PRESIDENT? >> WE WORRY ABOUT IMPLICIT BIAS WHERE WE MAY NOT KNOW THAT WE HAVE CERTAIN BIASES AGAINST CERTAIN KINDS OF PEOPLE. OR STEREOTYPES. OR PREJUDICE THAT WE MAY HARBOR. IN THE CASE OF AGEISM, IT IS LIKE AN EXPLICIT BIAS AND EVERYONE IS COOL WITH IT. >> I WATCHED WITH INTEREST THE RUTH BADER GINSBURG AND DIANE FEINSTEIN IF THEY HAD ONLY RETIRED WHEN THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO. YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHEN IT IS TIME. IF I WAS IN THEIR SHOES, I WOULD STEP ASIDE AND LET YOUNGER PEOPLE TAKE OVER. >> FOLLOWING VERBAL STUMBLES, POLLS HAVE SHOWN VOTERS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE MENTAL FITNESS OF BOTH A PRESIDENTIAL CONTENDERS. IN A RECENT POLL, 76% OF VOTERS HAVE MAJOR CONCERNS ABOUT PRESIDENT BIDEN. 48% OF VOTERS HAVE THE SAME MAJOR CONCERNS ABOUT FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP. TO HELP US UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR BRAINS WHEN WE AGE AND FOR SOME PERSPECTIVE, I ENJOYED BY A COUPLE OF EXPERTS IN MEMORY AND COGNITION. A PROFESSOR EMERITUS OF PSYCHOLOGY AT DUKE UNIVERSITY. AND A PROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-DAVIS. IT IS ALSO THE AUTHOR OF A NEW BOOK ABOUT THE POWER OF MEMORY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. I WANT TO START WITH YOU. PRESIDENT BIDEN IS 81 YEARS OLD. DONALD TRUMP IS A 77. HELP US SORT THROUGH WHAT HAPPENS WITH COGNITION AND BRAIN FUNCTION AS WE AGE? >> IT IS FASCINATING. THE WORK HAS BEEN EVOLVING. THE BASIC STORY IS THAT MEMORY GOES DOWN WITH AGE. I DON'T THINK THAT IS A SURPRISE. IF YOU LOOK AT DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS, IT REALLY VARIES. SOME PEOPLE ARE FINE. OTHER PEOPLE DO HAVE A DECLINE. YOU REALLY HAVE TO ASK WHAT IS GOING ON WITH AN INDIVIDUAL PERSON. >> LAST WEEK, THE SPECIAL COUNSEL CONCLUDED NO CHARGES WOULD BE BROUGHT AGAINST PRESIDENT BIDEN FOR HIS HANDLING OF CLASSIC -- CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS. HE SAID THE PRESIDENT COULD NOT REMEMBER EVEN WITHIN SEVERAL YEARS WHEN HIS SON DIED. PRESIDENT TRUMP GAVE A STINGING REBUKE. WHEN HE TOOK A QUESTION ABOUT GAZA, HE MIXED UP THE FOREIGN LEADER OF A COUNTRY. >> INITIALLY THE PRESIDENT OF MEXICO DID NOT WANT TO OPEN UP THE GATE TO ALLOW HUMANITARIAN AID TO GET IN. I TALKED TO HIM AND CONVINCE THEM TO OPEN THE GATE. I HAVE BEEN PUSHING REALLY HARD TO GET HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE INTO GAZA. >> HE CLEARLY MEANT TO SAY THE PRESIDENT OF EGYPT, NOT OF MEXICO. TWO SLIPS OF MEMORY LIKE THAT SIGNAL ANY REAL DEFICITS OR AN ABILITY TO MAKE HARD DECISIONS? >> I THINK THAT IS THE CRITICAL QUESTION. THESE TYPES OF SLIPS ARE NOT UNCOMMON WITH OLDER PEOPLE. ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE HAVING TO RECALL A NUMBER OF FACTS IN A BRIEF. OF TIME -- PERIOD OF TIME. THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY AT ALL RELATE TO THEIR ABILITY IN JUDGMENT. ANOTHER ELEMENT OF THAT JUDGMENT IS SOMETHING WE CALL EXECUTIVE FUNCTION. THAT IS THE ABILITY TO MAKE JUDGMENTS, TO REALLY SEE THE BIG PICTURE. I THINK THE BOTTOM LINE FOR ME IS YOU HAVE TO TEST THESE INDIVIDUALS IN TERMS OF HOW WELL THEY ARE DOING THEIR JOB. NOT HOW WELL THEY MAY PERFORM IN A PARTICULAR SITUATION IF THEY SLIPPED ON A PARTICULAR TOPIC AND GIVES THEM THING. I THINK YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE. >> IF YOU WATCH PRESIDENT BIDEN NOW VERSUS EIGHT YEARS AGO, THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT HIS SPEECH IS A LITTLE LESS CRISP. WHAT CAN WE KNOW AND WHAT DON'T WE KNOW BY WATCHING HIM? >> I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT I AM A SCIENTIST. I CANNOT DIAGNOSE ANYONE. WHAT I CAN SAY IS THESE VERBAL SLIPS THAT YOU BROUGHT UP, THEY ARE NOT OF SLIPS PER SE. YOU JUST GET A LITTLE BIT SLOWER TO COME UP WITH WORDS SOMETIMES. AND SLOWER TO CATCH THE ERRORS WHEN THEY HAPPEN. I WOULD NOT CALL THOSE MEMORIES SLIPS. I THINK SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUDGE THE APPEARANCE OF SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THEY THINK THERE IS A MEMORY PROBLEM. IT IS NOT REALLY A MEMORY PROBLEM. I KNOW THE PRESIDENT HAD A STUTTER WHEN HE WAS GROWING UP. THAT THE MAN'S MORE EXECUTIVE FUNCTION JUST TO ARTICULATE. I TOTALLY CONCUR THAT YOU REALLY HAVE TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS IN A REAL WAY AS OPPOSED TO SUPERFICIAL OBSERVATIONS. >> TRUMP HAS MIXED UP PEOPLE. WHEN HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE JANUARY 6 INSURRECTION. >> THEY DESTROYED ALL OF THE INFORMATION. EVERYTHING. BECAUSE OF LOTS OF THINGS. WE OFFERED HER 10,000 PEOPLE. SOLDIERS AND NATIONAL GUARDSMEN. THEY TURNED IT DOWN. >> WHEN YOU WATCH THESE MEN, IS IT POSSIBLE AT ALL TO GAUGE THEIR FITNESS FOR OFFICE? >> I THINK IT IS DIFFICULT. YOU MIGHT LOOK AT THE TONE OF WHAT THEY ARE SAYING. PEOPLE WILL MAKE JUDGMENTS BASED ON THAT. BASED ON THEIR COGNITIVE FUNCTION, IT IS QUITE DIFFICULT. A COUPLE OF TESTS WILL BE INSUFFICIENT. YOU NEED TESTS OVER TIME. TO REALLY DETERMINE IF THERE IS SIGNIFICANT DETERIORATION. YOU NEED A BATTERY OF TESTS. WHAT IS MOST HELPFUL IS AN HONEST OPINION FROM THE PEOPLE SURROUNDING THEM WHO MIGHT GIVE THE TYPE OF INFORMATION THAT WOULD SAY, WE BELIEVE THIS PERSON IS ACTUALLY FUNCTIONING WELL. IN A POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT, THAT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN. >> GENERALLY SPEAKING, WHAT ARE TYPICAL SIGNS OF COGNITIVE DECLINE AND WHEN DOES IT HAPPEN TO IMPACT PEOPLE? >> ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS I HAVE SEEN AS I MANY PATIENTS WHO ARE ON THE YOUNGER SIDE WHO CAN BE VERY ARTICULATE AND YET THEY HAVE DISABLING MEMORY DISORDERS. LOOKS CAN BE DECEIVING. THERE IS FORGETTING AND THEN THERE IS FORGETTING. THERE IS DAY-TO-DAY STUFF THAT WE ALL FORGET. YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU KNOW IT IS THERE BUT YOU CANNOT FIND IT. THEY MAY BE A FEW DAYS LATER IT POPS UP IN YOUR HEAD. WE CALL THAT A RETRIEVAL FAILURE. THEY ARE BENIGN BUT THEY HAPPEN A LOT AS YOU GET OLDER. IF YOU MISS STATED EGYPT AND MEXICO OR IF YOU HAVE TROUBLE REMEMBERING THE YEARS SOMETHING HAPPENED, THAT IS MORE IN THE BENIGN CATEGORY. BUT IF YOU FORGET THAT YOU MET THE PRESIDENT OF MEXICO OR YOU FORGET SIGNIFICANT EVENTS FROM IMPORTANT PARTS IN YOUR LIFE, THAT IS A REAL MEMORY DISORDER. THOSE ARE THINGS I WOULD EXPECT PEOPLE TO REMEMBER. >> THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF WORDS THROWN AROUND IN THE SELECTION CYCLE LOADED WITH PARTISANSHIP. DO YOU THINK ANY OF THESE HAVE VALIDITY? >> THEY ALL HAVE VALIDITY IN SOME CONTEXT BUT I'M NOT SURE THEY HAVE VALIDITY YEAR. I THINK THAT WILL BE ONE OF THE MAJOR CHALLENGES WE SEE OVER THE NEXT YEAR. PEOPLE ARE GOING TO THROW TERMS AROUND THAT NEUROSCIENTISTS AND PHYSICIANS HAVE USED TRADITIONALLY FOR QUITE DIFFERENT REASONS THEY ARE BEING ASKED TO MAKE STATEMENTS ABOUT SITUATIONS THAT ARE COMPLEX. ON THE SPOT. THEY ARE NOT GIVEN A CHANCE TO REALLY CORRECT AREAS -- ERRORS THAT THEY MAY MAKE. >> IS THERE A WORD OF ADVICE YOU GIVE TO THE PUBLIC OR PRESS ABOUT MAKING ASSUMPTIONS IN THIS MOMENT ABOUT MEMORY OR AGE WERE VERBAL LAPSES? >> WHEN PEOPLE HEAR SOMETHING LIKE AN ELDERLY MAN WITH A POOR MEMORY, IT ACTIVATES A LOT OF STEREOTYPES THAT PEOPLE HAVE. THERE IS ACTUALLY A LOT OF ABILITIES THAT REMAIN STABLE OR EVEN GET BETTER WITH AGE. KNOWLEDGE LIKE THE KIND OF KNOWLEDGE SHE WOULD HOPE A PRESIDENT WOULD HAVE, REMAINS STABLE OR COULD IMPROVE. YOU SEE COMPASSION AND EMOTION REGULATION IMPROVING WITH AGE. A LOT OF WHAT PEOPLE JUDGE IS BASED ON SURFACE CHARACTERISTICS. RATHER THAN THE MORE SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. >> YOU ARE WELCOME. ♪
B1 US president memory people age biden president biden Experts describe what happens to our brains and memories as we age 11 0 林宜悉 posted on 2024/02/24 More Share Save Report Video vocabulary