<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>329445</docID> <postdate>2024-10-03 04:15:58</postdate> <headline>It’s good to check the mental check statistics</headline> <body><p><img class=" wp-image-329448" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/pexels-pixabay-41949-resized-e1726812405219.jpg" alt="" width="879" height="586" /></p> <caption>The world by night... "The population of Earth is around 7.8 billion. For most people, it’s an obscure figure," writes Clive Williams. Photo: Pexels</caption> <p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I never forget a face — but in your case, I’ll be glad to make an exception.†</span></i><b><i>–Groucho Marx</i></b></p> <p><span class="kicker-line">Concerned about Whimsy columnist <strong>CLIVE WILLIAMS'</strong> mental state, a friend sent him some statistics, along with a mental health check. But it didn't stop there...</span></p> <p><b>A friend, obviously concerned about my mental state, sent me some statistics, along with a mental health check, as follows:</b></p> <p><img class=" wp-image-239837" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Clive-Williams-e1631256405470.jpg" alt="" width="335" height="349" /></p> <caption>Clive Williams.</caption> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">First the human statistics – with Earth's population placed in perspective. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The population of Earth is around 7.8 billion. For most people, it’s an obscure figure. However, if you condense 7.8 billion into 100 persons, and then into various percentage statistics, the resulting analysis is much easier to comprehend. </span></p> <h3><span style="color: #800000;"><b>Out of 100:</b></span></h3> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">11 are in Europe; 5 are in North America; 9 are in South America; 15 are in Africa; 60 are in Asia; 49 live in the countryside; 51 live in a city; </span></i></li> </ul> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">75 have mobile phones – 25 do not; 30 have internet access – 70 do not; 83 can read – 17 are illiterate; </span></i></li> </ul> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">33 are Christians; 22 are Muslims; 14 are Hindus; 7 are Buddhists; 12 are other religions; 12 have no religious beliefs.</span></i></li> </ul> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">26 live less than 14 years; 66 died between 15 and 64 years of age; 8 are over 65 years old.</span></i></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you have your own home, eat full meals and drink clean water, have a mobile phone, can surf the internet and have gone to college, you are in the minuscule privileged lot (less than 7 per cent category).</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Amongst 100 persons in the world, only eight live to or exceed the age of 65! If you are over 65 years old, be content and grateful. Cherish life. Grasp the moment. If you did not leave this world before the age of 64, like the 92 persons who have gone before you, you are already the blessed amongst humankind. Take good care of your health. Cherish every remaining moment.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you think you are suffering memory loss, read on.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the following analysis, Bruno Dubois, professor of neurology at Pierre et Marie Curie University and Director of the Institute for Memory and Alzheimer’s Disease (IM2A) at the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris addresses the subject in a rather reassuring way: "If anyone is aware of their memory problems, they do not have Alzheimer's."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It often happens in people 60 years and older that they complain they lack memory: "The information is always in the brain, it is the 'processor' that is lacking." This is "anosognosia" or temporary forgetfulness. Half of people 60 and older have some symptoms that are due to age rather than disease. The most common cases are:</span></p> <ul> <li style="list-style-type: none;"> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">forgetting the name of a person,</span></i></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">going to a room in the house and not remembering why they were going there,</span></i></li> </ul> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">a blank memory for a movie title or actor, or actress,</span></i></li> </ul> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">wasting time searching where they left glasses or keys.</span></i></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After 60 years, most people have such a difficulty, which indicates that it is not a disease but rather a characteristic due to the passage of years. Many people are concerned about these oversights, hence the importance of the following statements:</span></p> <ol> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;"> "Those who are conscious of being forgetful have no serious problem of memory."</span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;"> "Those who suffer from a memory illness or Alzheimer's are not aware of what is happening."</span></li> </ol> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Professor Dubois reassures the majority of people concerned about their oversights: "The more we complain about memory loss, the less likely we are to suffer from memory sickness."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now for a little neurological test:</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Only use your eyes!</span></p> <ol> <li> <h4><span style="color: #800000;"><b> Find the C in the table below:</b></span></h4> </li> </ol> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCOOOOOOOOOOO</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO</span></p> <ol start="2"> <li> <h4><span style="color: #800000;"><b> If you found the C, then find the 6 in this table:</b></span></h4> </li> </ol> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">69999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999</span></p> <ol start="3"> <li> <h4><span class="h3" style="color: #800000;"><b> Now find the N in the table below. Attention, it's a little more</b></span></h4> </li> </ol> <h4><span class="h3" style="color: #800000;"><b>difficult!</b></span></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNMM</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you pass these three tests without problem:</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">you can cancel your annual visit to the neurologist.</span></i></li> </ul> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">your brain is in perfect shape!</span></i></li> </ul> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">you are far from having any relationship with Alzheimer's.</span></i></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There you have my friend’s missive but, as one does, I asked my friendly neighbourhood AI Bot to assess the above claims for me. It responded as follows:</span></p> <ol> <li><b></b> <b>Population Statistics:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The data presented about the distribution of the world's population is approximately accurate:</span></li> </ol> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">11 per cent in Europe</span></i></li> </ul> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> 5 per cent in North America</span></i></li> </ul> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> 9 per cent in South America</span></i></li> </ul> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> 15 per cent in Africa</span></i></li> </ul> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> 60 per cent in Asia</span></i></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">These figures align reasonably well with current global demographic data.</span></p> <ol start="2"> <li><b> Urban vs. Rural Population: </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">The claim that 49 per cent live in the countryside and 51 per cent in cities is outdated. According to recent UN data, more than 55 per cent of the global population now lives in urban areas.</span></li> <li><b> Mobile Phone and Internet Access:</b></li> </ol> <ul> <li style="list-style-type: none;"> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">The claim that 75 per cent have mobile phones is close to current estimates, which suggest over 70 per cent of the global population uses mobile phones.</span></i></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The statement that only 30 per cent have internet access is an underestimate. Current statistics indicate that around 60 per cent of the global population has internet access.</span></i></li> </ul> <ol start="4"> <li><b> Literacy Rates:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The assertion that 83 per cent can read and 17 per cent are illiterate is close to accurate, as UNESCO reports a global literacy rate of around 86 per cent .</span></li> <li><b> Religious Affiliation:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The provided religious breakdown roughly matches global estimates but can vary slightly depending on the source.</span></li> <li><b> Age Distribution:</b></li> </ol> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The statement about 26 per cent living less than 14 years and only 8 per cent being over 65 years old isn't entirely accurate. According to the World Bank, the global population under 14 is around 26 per cent, but those over 65 make up about 9 per cent, not just 8 per cent .</span></i></li> </ul> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The claim that 66 per cent die between 15 and 64 years isn't specific and needs more context, as life expectancy varies widely across countries.</span></i></li> </ul> <ol start="7"> <li><b> Economic Privilege:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The mention of being in the top 7 per cent if you have a home, full meals, clean water, a mobile phone, internet access, and college education is somewhat accurate. These are indicators of relative economic privilege globally.</span></li> <li><b> Anosognosia and Memory Loss:</b></li> </ol> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">The term "anosognosia" refers to a lack of awareness or denial of a neurological deficit, often seen in conditions such as stroke or Alzheimer's disease. The text correctly uses it in this context but generalises it to mean temporary forgetfulness, which is not accurate.</span></i></li> </ul> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The reassurance about memory issues from Professor Bruno Dubois is sensible advice, though it oversimplifies the complexities of memory disorders. Being aware of memory lapses can indeed be a sign of normal ageing rather than Alzheimer's, but it is not a definitive diagnostic criterion.</span></i></li> </ul> <ol start="9"> <li><b> Neurological Test:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The tests (finding the C, 6, and N) are simple visual exercises that can be reassuring, but are not conclusive indicators of cognitive health. They shouldn't replace medical advice or evaluations.</span></li> </ol> <p><b>The Bot’s Conclusion: "</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">The text provides a mix of accurate data and some inaccuracies or oversimplifications. It's important to verify such statistics with current and reliable sources. While the general message is positive and aims to provide reassurance, it should be read with a critical eye, especially regarding demographic and medical claims."</span></p> <h3><span style="color: #800000;"><b>On a lighter note</b></span></h3> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A priest, vicar and rabbit go to a blood bank where the nurse asks them if they remember their blood types. “Well,†says the rabbit, “I think I’m a typo.â€</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fred applies to an estate agent for an advertised handyman position. The interviewer asks" “Are you a painter?†Fred: “I’m no good with brushes.†“Are you able to do ladder work?†Fred: “I don’t like heights.†Well, says the exasperated interviewer: “What part of handy is relevant to you?†Fred: “I live just around the corner.â€Â </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A similar ending relates to a Dublin building site where Paddy up a ladder gets dizzy and is in danger of falling off. The foreman, concerned about legal claims if Paddy gets hurt, calls him down and says: “You seem unwell. Take a break. Do you have vertigo? To which Paddy replies: “To be sure I don’t, mum’s place is just around the corner.â€</span></li> </ul> <p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Clive Williams is a Canberra columnist</span></i></p> </body>