‘I’m still here’: Before Alzheimer’s, he prided himself on his intellect

Truck. Banana. Violin. Desk. Green.

Sitting behind her desk in an examining room, the neurologist slowly read the five words aloud to J. Anthony Downs and told him to remember them. Then, after putting him through other mental tasks for five minutes, she asked him to repeat as many of the words as he could.

The 62-year-old retired attorney couldn’t remember a single one.

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