Trump aces aptitude test designed in Canada

Assessment by Canadian immigrant gauges level of cognitive impairment

WASHINGTON— When the White House released the results of a test on Donald Trump’s mental aptitude Tuesday, showing he aced it without signs of cognitive decline, there was one person out there brimming with pride despite not knowing the president.

That person was Ziad Nasreddine, the man who designed the test.

The Lebanese-Canadian neurologist learned from a reporter Tuesday afternoon that the White House had selected the Montreal Cognitive Assessment to test the president’s faculties after days of speculation about his state.

This was the test Nasreddine developed as a young researcher two decades ago, in an effort to quickly assess, within 10 or 12 minutes, whether someone has suffered light cognitive impairment or the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, by asking them to perform tasks such as drawing a clock, identifying animals and remembering words.

He says it has now been used in 200 countries, in 60 languages, and has been deployed in one developing country to demonstrate its leader was no longer fit to govern. On Tuesday, the White House announced Trump’s score: 30 for 30.

“It’s really an honour for me,” said Nasreddine, now affiliated with McGill and Sherbrooke universities in Quebec.

“I’m really thrilled, and happy they decided to use it over other tests.” The White House doctor announced during a briefing with reporters that he selected the Montreal cognitive test among several available. Dr. Ronny Jackson, who also worked with the previous administration, and was praised in social media by former Barack Obama staff, said he never doubted this president’s cognitive ability. He said he talks to Trump daily, and didn’t feel he even needed the test.