And the most qualified.
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As the Presidential primaries begin and the candidates try and convince us that their opponents are not qualified, it might be good to consider what neuroscience might teach us about the aging brain.
According to a recent headline in the magazine Politico,
“Clinton surrogate to demand Sanders release medical records.”
The article goes on to say,
“A top surrogate for Hillary Clinton, David Brock founder of the Clinton-aligned Correct the Record PAC, is prepping a new attack in an intensifying and increasingly personal war against rival Bernie Sanders — calling on the 74-year-old to release his medical records before the Iowa caucuses on Feb. 1.”
It’s true Bernie is 74 year’s old, while Donald Trump is 69, and Hillary Clinton is a mere 68. We certainly want the candidate who may be our next President to be able to function at a high level. But mental function may have more to do with the stresses and traumas we experience in life than the number of years we have lived. The youngest brain may be housed in the cranium of the oldest candidate.
Anyone who observes our political leaders recognizes the impact of stress on their lives.
Look at the man presently in office, Barack Obama. Here are two pictures, one when he was first elected in 2008 and one taken recently. No question, he looks significantly older and it’s not just the seven years he’s been in office. It’s been the stress.
Neuroscientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have found that chronic stress triggers long-term changes in brain structure and function that may explain why people suffering chronic stress are prone to mental problems such as anxiety and mood disorders.
In a series of experiments, Dr. Daniela Kaufer, UC Berkeley associate professor of integrative biology, and her colleagues, discovered that chronic stress generates more myelin-producing cells and fewer neurons than normal. This results in an excess of myelin – and thus, white matter – in some areas of the brain, which disrupts the delicate balance and timing of communication within the brain.
As a therapist who has worked with many people under stress, I think of the stresses that Hillary Clinton has experienced as a politician, First Lady, Senator, Secretary of State, and now candidate for President. She may be younger than Bernie, but I suspect her brain has suffered more stress and may, in fact, be older and less capable of making good decisions.
We also know that childhood neglect, abuse, and abandonment can cause brain damage that shows up throughout our lives. When I look at Donald Trump I see an angry and aggressive man who I suspect has suffered considerable damage growing up. I got some confirmation of my beliefs from Trump’s 1987 book, The Art of the Deal.
Trump writes that he was “aggressive and assertive” from a young age.
“In the second grade I actually gave a teacher a black eye — I punched my music teacher because I didn’t think he knew anything about music and I almost got expelled,” Trump says. “I’m not proud of that, but it’s clear evidence that even early on I had a tendency to stand up and make my opinions known in a very forceful way. The difference now is that I use my brain instead of my fists.”
Those who study childhood trauma and their impact would recognize early expressions of rage.
We see other indicators in his stories about himself and his younger brother, Robert. They were playing with toy blocks when Trump was inspired to create a tall building, which would require some of his brother’s blocks. Robert let him borrow them.
“I ended up using all of my blocks, and then all of his, and when I was done, I’d created a beautiful building,” Trump writes. “I liked it so much that I glued the whole thing together. And that was the end of Robert’s blocks.”
Trump sees his actions as expressions of his drive to build beautiful buildings. Those who study childhood trauma would recognize early signs of his wounding, his willingness to take what wasn’t his, and “me first” narcissism (My buildings are more important than my brother’s feelings.)
Trump also describes his relationship with his father in the book who he proudly says was “able to crush the competition” in the building trades. Trump depicts his father, Fred, as a stern, aggressive, and practical man — traits that also came naturally to him.
Trump’s father sent him to the New York Military Academy to straighten him out and keep him out of the trouble he liked to get into as a boy. He joined when he was 13 and stayed from eighth grade to the end of high school, graduating as captain of cadets. Trump.
Trump says the experience toughened him up and he is grateful for his time at the academy, where he says he learned how to channel his “aggression into achievement.” Those who study childhood trauma would recognize the continuing aggression as unresolved anger from being neglected as a child and not getting the nurturing and love he needed from his “stern and aggressive” father.
Of course, I can only offer speculation about the effects of stress and trauma on Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. I’ve never talked to them personally. I don’t know much about Bernie’s background. I do know that he has supported the average American for many years and refuses to take money from political action committees (PACs) who never give anything for free. You can feel his passion and anger, but his anger isn’t directed at other people, but at the conditions that keep us all from leading, full and healthy lives.
When we decide who would make the best President, I suggest that Bernie may well have the youngest and most highly functional brain for the job.
I’ll look forward to your comments.
Source: 30dB.com – Bernie Sanders vs Donald Trump
Originally posted on MenAlive. Reprinted with permission.
Photo credit: Getty Images