Was Reagan's trademark smile the first sign of Alzheimer's?

[Hoping4Change]

A lack of full emotional capacity is risk factor for Alzheimer's.

For all his charm, Mr. Reagan lacked the capacity for genuine emotional expression. His stereotypical response when emotions were called for was, "Really, there are no words." He described himself once as "the calm vacant centre of the hurricane." His only reply to the physician who informed him of his wife Nancy's breast cancer was a brusque, "Well, you're the doctors, and I'm confident you'll be able to take care of it."

According to his official biographer, Mr. Reagan was characterized by an "immense insularity, a paralysis of sensibility." From childhood onward, he was "sheathed in a strange calm." Could these traits have been harbingers of the dreadful insularity that would ultimately envelop him?

Evidence strongly suggests that a lack of full emotional capacity is a risk factor for the later development of Alzheimer's disease.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040612/ALZHEIMERS12/TPFocus/

[cyclezealot]

1. Remember Reagan forgot all pertinent information about Contra scandal.

But Bush did not fall asleep in front of the Pope... Bush does have a smile..it is just more chimp like..Bush being 25 years younger. Hope he would not fall asleep before the pope.
But similarites...Dubya has his afternoon nap..Does not read..Certainly would not clutter his head with lots of details..Likes short presidential briefings...

[boxster]

5. Reagan didn't "forget" the pertinent info about Iran/Contra.

Don't believe that for a minute. Answering 400 questions with "I don't recall" is the sign of a liar, not someone having difficulty remembering.

[k in IA]

2. Perhaps growing up the son of an alcoholic made him shut down

a part of his emotions.

[Paradise]

3. Interesting. Thanks. :) nt

[Momof1]

4. I read in Newsweek, that he was very nearsighted as a child

And he never knew it until high school when he put on a pair of his mom's glasses.

Up to that point everything was fuzzy. That is why he played football in school instead of baseball or basketball.

That was the reason they gave for his shyness.

[AlCzervik]

6. I was watching Bob Costa's show on HBO last night

and he said that he interviewed Reagan at the 1989 all-star game, Costa's said the he appeared to be somewhat disoriented and then he said he thinks his decline must have started the last years he was in office.