In October, President Trump revealed that he recently underwent an MRI and said that the results were “ perfect .” He was not specific about what type of MRI he received, though later in the conversation with reporters, he brought up cognitive tests as well, suggesting he might have had an MRI of his brain.

Physicians cannot diagnose people they have not treated, but STAT asked a leading neurologist to consider the question: Why might a 79-year-old man need an MRI scan of his brain?

There are many reasons, each related to different types of brain disorders. Let’s begin by looking at the statistics.

Memory complaints are by far the most common reason that one would need a brain MRI. The Alzheimer’s Association 2025 Facts and Figures report notes that 13.2% of individuals ages 75-84 y

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