#Alzheimer’s disease
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As the national security workforce ages, dementia impacting U.S. officials poses a threat to national security, according to a first-of-its-kind study by a Pentagon-funded think tank. The report, released this spring, came as several prominent U.S. officials trusted with some of the nation’s most highly classified intelligence experienced public lapses, stoking calls for resignations and debate about Washington’s aging leadership.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who had a second freezing episode last month, enjoys the most privileged access to classified information of anyone in Congress as a member of the so-called Gang of Eight congressional leadership. Ninety-year-old Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., whose decline has seen her confused about how to vote and experiencing memory lapses — forgetting conversations and not recalling a monthslong absence — was for years a member of the Gang of Eight and remains a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, on which she has served since 2001.
The study, published by the RAND Corporation’s National Security Research Division in April, identifies individuals with both current and former access to classified material who develop dementia as threats to national security, citing the possibility that they may unwittingly disclose government secrets.
“Individuals who hold or held a security clearance and handled classified material could become a security threat if they develop dementia and unwittingly share government secrets,” the study says.
As the study notes, there does not appear to be any other publicly available research into dementia, an umbrella term for the loss of cognitive functioning, despite the fact that Americans are living longer than ever before and that the researchers were able to identify several cases in which senior intelligence officials died of Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive brain disorder and the most common cause of dementia.
“As people live longer and retire later, challenges associated with cognitive impairment in the workplace will need to be addressed,” the report says. “Our limited research suggests this concern is an emerging security blind spot.”
Most holders of security clearances, a ballooning class of officials and other bureaucrats with access to secret government information, are subject to rigorous and invasive vetting procedures. Applying for a clearance can mean hourslong polygraph tests; character interviews with old teachers, friends, and neighbors; and ongoing automated monitoring of their bank accounts and other personal information. As one senior Pentagon official who oversees such a program told me of people who enter the intelligence bureaucracy, “You basically give up your Fourth Amendment rights.”
Yet, as the authors of the RAND report note, there does not appear to be any vetting for age-related cognitive decline. In fact, the director of national intelligence’s directive on continuous evaluation contains no mention of age or cognitive decline.
While the study doesn’t mention any U.S. officials by name, its timing comes amid a simmering debate about gerontocracy: rule by the elderly. Following McConnell’s first freezing episode, in July, Google searches for the term “gerontocracy” spiked.
“The President called to check on me,” McConnell said when asked about the first episode. “I told him I got sandbagged,” he quipped, referring to President Joe Biden’s trip-and-fall incident during a June graduation ceremony at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado, which sparked conservative criticisms about the 80-year-old’s own functioning.
While likely an attempt by McConnell at deflecting from his lapse, Biden’s age has emerged as a clear concern to voters, including Democrats. 69% of Democrats say Biden is “too old to effectively serve” another term, an Associated Press-NORC poll found last month. The findings were echoed by a CNN poll released last week that found that 67% of Democrats said the party should nominate someone else, with 49% directly mentioning Biden’s age as their biggest concern.
As Commander In Chief, the President is the nation’s ultimate classification authority, with the extraordinary power to classify and declassify information broadly. No other American has as privileged access to classified information as the president.
The U.S.’s current leadership is not only the oldest in history, but also the number of older people in Congress has grown dramatically in recent years. In 1981, only 4% of Congress was over the age of 70. By 2022, that number had spiked to 23%.
In 2017, Vox reported that a pharmacist had filled Alzheimer’s prescriptions for multiple members of Congress. With little incentive for an elected official to disclose such an illness, it is difficult to know just how pervasive the problem is. Feinstein’s retinue of staffers have for years sought to conceal her decline, having established a system to prevent her from walking the halls of Congress alone and risk having an unsupervised interaction with a reporter.
Despite the public controversy, there’s little indication that any officials will resign — or choose not to seek reelection.
After years of speculation about her retirement, 83-year-old Speaker Emerita Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., stunned observers when she announced on Friday that she would run for reelection, seeking her 19th term.
#us politics#news#republicans#Democrats#boomers#Gang of Eight#sen. Mitch Mcconnell#sen. Diane Feinstein#rep. nancy pelosi#Senate Intelligence Committee#the pentagon#classified information#RAND Corporation#National Security Research Division#national security#dementia#cognitive decline#Alzheimer’s disease#security clearances#Fourth Amendment#gerontocracy#president joe biden#us congress#2023#the intercept
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It’s really difficult to see a family member suffer from Alzheimer’s. But I watch my grandma enjoy Star Wars as if she’s seeing it again for the first time, it’s nice to see her happy for once. I remember when she watched Return of the Jedi with me and my mom, my grandma was at the edge of her seat the entire time.
Alzheimer’s sucks but Star Wars will always make things feel just a little bit better
#alzheimer’s disease#mental health awareness#star wars#disney star wars#luke skywalker#leia organa#han solo
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As we explore the pivotal role of nutrition in Alzheimer’s care, it’s important to consider the specialized approach of in-home care services in Plantation, Florida. For individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease, maintaining a balanced and nutritious diet is crucial.
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Great disengagement, she rerouted her perfectly
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What an interesting story!
Eight cases of patients in the UK who were treated with human growth hormone derived from cadavers (c-hGH) were reviewed by a team from University College London (UCL) and University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH). This practice was used between 1959 and 1985, and at least 1,848 patients are known to have received c-hGH – usually during childhood ؘ– to treat various causes of short stature. The cadaver-derived product was withdrawn globally after there were some reports of recipients being infected with prions, and ultimately dying of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD).
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TV presenter announces Alzheimer’s disease
Yesterday the UK’s GMTV host Fiona Philip’s announced to the public that she had Alzheimer’s disease.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/other/fiona-phillips-hugely-touched-by-support-after-revealing-alzheimer-s-diagnosis/ar-AA1dtptj
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Klundalini tantra can curb religion born mental illness
Friends, in the previous post I was telling how Kundalini Yoga used to make my mental state stable and healthy. A friend was saying that a crippled mind cannot be cured by love etc. According to this, even Kundalini cannot be awakened by love. But it happens. There are different levels of brain degeneration. We do not say that everyone will become healthy, but there will be some improvement in…
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Metabolite profile and in vitro cholinesterase inhibitory activity of extract and fractions of Aaptos suberitoides
Image: Flickr
Article published in J. Pharm. Pharmacogn. Res., vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 129-136, January-February 2023.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.56499/jppres22.1511_11.1.129
Hanifa R. Putri1, Rhesi Kristiana2, I Wayan Mudianta3, Edwin Setiawan4, Aty Widyawaruyanti5,6, Nitra Nuengchamnong7, Nungruthai Suphrom8, Suciati Suciati5,6*
1Master Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy…
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Bruce Willis video resurfaces amid dementia diagnosis: ‘Nothing can keep me down’
Footage of Bruce Willis defiantly declaring, “Nothing can keep me down,” has gone viral on social media in the wake of his devastating frontotemporal dementia diagnosis.
Willis’ remarks were recorded during a Comedy Central roast that took place back in 2018, where he was mercilessly mocked by celebrities including Martha Stewart and ex-wife Demi Moore.
At the conclusion of the event, the “Die…
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https://www.mobilephysiocare.com/post/top-5-benefits-of-physical-therapy-in-treating-alzheimer-s-disease
#Alzheimer’s disease#Physical Therapy in Treating Alzheimer’s Disease#Physical Therapy#Neurological Physical Therapy in Hudson County New Jersey#Private Home Physical Therapy#Group Exercise Classes in Bergen County New Jersey
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The worst part about my grandmother having Alzheimer’s isn’t just about the constant stress I have for her safety(although that sucks too), it’s the fact that she’s not the same person who raised me. She’s not the person who went to all my school events when I was younger. She’s not the person who used to braid my hair when my mom was away at work, or cook dinner most nights, or walk me to the school bus stop everyday. She’s someone completely different. I mean she doesn’t even know who I am half the time
It’s like missing someone who’s never coming back. I miss my grandma so much, and she’s living in the room right next door to mine.
Sorry for sounding so sad, but this is kinda hard on me rn. Especially since I already have the stress of finals and my SAT coming up, it’s all been very difficult
#Alzheimer’s#alzheimer’s disease#mental heath awareness#kinda vent#…#vent#this is definitely venting#ok time to sleep
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10 Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer's #NationalAlzheimersAwarenessMonth
10 Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer’s #NationalAlzheimersAwarenessMonth
Alzheimer’s Disease may be one of the cruelest diseases because a sufferer seemingly “disappears” until the person they were — no longer exists. National Alzheimer’s Disease Month, each November, reminds us that over 5 million Americans suffer. Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), a form of dementia, impacts memory, thinking, and behavior. AD ranks as the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. and the…
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Top Health Concerns Impacting Black Men & Screening Guidelines
Top Health Concerns Impacting Black Men & Screening Guidelines
Black men continue to endure far worse health statistics than any other racial group. Here are the 10 leading causes of death,
Source: Top Health Concerns Impacting Black Men & Screening Guidelines
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#Alzheimer’s Disease#Black Men#Cancer#Chronic lower respiratory diseases#Diabetes#Health#Heart Disease#Homicide#Hypertension#Kidney disease#Men&039;s Health#Screening#Septicemia#Stroke
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