A recent study conducted by the University of Arizona has unveiled that the language used in Ronald Reagan’s speeches displayed early signs of Alzheimer’s disease before he was officially diagnosed.
Despite being elected as the oldest president at 69, Reagan had vowed to step down if his cognitive abilities deteriorated, stating in 1980 to The New York Times that he was in the best shape of his life.
The research from the American university indicates that subtle alterations in Reagan’s speech patterns hinted at the onset of dementia years prior to the confirmation of his Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 1994.
Comparisons were made between the language utilized by Reagan and George H. W. Bush during their respective presidential terms, as both men were of similar ages.
Professors Visar Berisha and Julie Liss, specializing in speech and hearing science at the University of Arizona, analyzed transcripts from all 46 press conferences held by Reagan and the 101 sessions conducted by Bush.
Their findings revealed that Reagan frequently used vague terms like “thing” when unable to recall specific nouns and tended to repeat himself more often, contrasting with Bush’s speech patterns.
The study observed a significant decline in the variety of unique words employed by Reagan over time, along with an increase in conversational fillers and nonspecific nouns, suggesting a progression towards cognitive decline related to Alzheimer’s.
Conversely, these trends were not evident in Bush’s linguistic behavior.
Dr. Berisha highlighted that this research is part of a broader initiative aimed at developing objective assessments that could potentially serve as early indicators for Alzheimer’s and other neurological conditions.
Reagan passed away in 2004 at the age of 93, with his son Ron reflecting on witnessing indications of Alzheimer’s during his presidency.
In commemoration of Reagan’s 100th birthday, Ron disclosed observations of his father displaying early signs of the disease during the 1984 re-election campaign.
He recalled moments at the White House where Reagan relied on note cards while making phone calls, signaling a departure from his usual behavior.
Ron emphasized that while it wasn’t a sudden realization, there was a lingering sense that something was amiss.
Reflecting on the gradual revelation of his father’s deteriorating mental state, Ron shared in an interview with ABC that there were subtle cues which prompted his growing concerns.
These insights shed light on the complexity of diagnosing neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s and underscore the importance of ongoing research in understanding early markers of such diseases.
