Samantha Berlin - 17h ago Newsweek
The user, known as Haus of Petty or @musclesandnursing, posted his speculation about Putin to TikTok where it had received 2 million views and 4,200 comments since Sunday and prompted users to comment their own speculations.
"Nurses and medical professionals, I'm gonna show you a video and this is why we should be terrified," @musclesandnursing said in the video.
The eyes of the world have been on Putin since he initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24. So far, at least 2 million people have fled Ukraine and over 1,000 civilians have been killed, making it the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.
He then cut to a clip of Putin seemingly struggling to walk as he slightly stumbles on his right leg before approaching and shaking a man's hand.
"I'm a nurse I cannot diagnose, but I do know Parkinson's and a stroke when I see it," the man said. "Parkinson's is under the umbrella of dementia."
Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects movement, typically on one side. The symptoms are gradual and individuals tend to have a small tremor that begins in the hand or fingers, according to the Mayo Clinic.
As Parkinson's progresses, it is common for individuals to experience stiffness in their limbs, decreased ability to perform unconscious movements such as blinking or swinging their arms while they walk, and slowed movements. Other symptoms include changes in handwriting, speech, balance and stooped posture,
The nurse also speculated that Putin "probably had a stroke" based on the "utilization of his right leg" and the way it jerked when it was lifted off the ground, which he said is also a symptom of vascular dementia.
The early stages of vascular dementia, or multi-infarct dementia, are known to cause cognitive difficulty with reasoning and judgment—with later stages affecting memory.
"If you've ever been to a nursing home and you see those two little old biddies just sitting there and they're like best friends?" @musclesandnursing asked in the video. "It's because their communication style is on par. People with dementia are very very good at covering up their dementia."
But, he explained that eventually, dementia reaches a point where the individual can no longer hide their symptoms.
"If you look at what he's doing, Vladimir Putin is mentally unstable and he's got keys to nukes," he said.
Thousands of users commented on the viral TikTok, many with their own speculations about Putin.
"Hey I used to specialize in Parkinson's patients! You're spot on. He could also be suffering from Lewy body dementia," one user suggested.
"My father in law had a stroke which led to vascular dementia," another user commented. "We had to hide the knifes [sic]. If this is true that is very scary."
"That just backs up my husband's theory that Putin knows he's at the end & wants to ensure his name goes into the history books," one comment read.
"I worked in rehabilitation, you're absolutely correct," another user wrote. "He has the walk, he holds himself in the same way. Pawpaw needs to have his keys taken away."
Newsweek reached out to @musclesandnursing for comment.
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