White House aides reportedly confirmed that President Joe Biden is exhibiting a common symptom of dementia, according to Axios.
When Biden and former President Donald Trump met on the debate stage, the current president became the focus of the Thursday forum as he looked confused, appeared to freeze up and stumble through answers. Amid the calls for the 81-year-old to drop out of the race, the Biden campaign and the president have worked to dispel concerns and downplay the performance as a rough night. Despite the damage control, sources told Axios that the president is “dependably engaged” between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. but is susceptible to “verbal miscues” and fatigue outside that time frame.
Throughout Biden’s presidency, aides have seen “flashes of an absent-minded Biden” but have typically ignored the instances because the president is normally engaged, eight current and former Biden officials told Axios. The time of day plays an important role during which Biden is on display throughout his duties as president, the outlet noted.
As concerns for Biden’s fitness for office have grown, the president’s memory has been called into question as he gaffes, confuses world leaders and blanks on facts.)
The behavior the Biden aides described can be compared to a symptom of dementia called “sundowning.” The term “sundowning” references “a state of confusion” that affects elders, particularly those with Alzheimer’s disease or types of dementia, during the evening or as the sun is beginning to set, according to the Mayo Clinic. More extreme cases of “sundowning” result in anxiety, aggression, pacing, wandering and even hallucinations and trouble sleeping, the Mayo Clinic states.