U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell leaves his Washington, D.C., house to return to work on the U.S. Senate, lower than every week after he froze for greater than 30 seconds while chatting with reporters at an event in his home state of Kentucky, in Washington, D.C., Sept. 5, 2023.
Jonathan Ernst | Reuters
Brain scans conducted on Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell found no evidence he has a seizure disorder or experienced a stroke in reference to essentially the most recent of two episodes of freezing up as he spoke in public, a physician said Tuesday.
Dr. Brian Monahan, the attending physician for Congress, also told McConnell in a letter that there isn’t any evidence that the Kentucky Republican has “a movement disorder reminiscent of Parkinson’s disease.”
“There aren’t any changes advisable in treatment protocols as you proceed recovery out of your March 2023 fall,” Monahan wrote.
McConnell, 81, was hospitalized in early March after suffering a concussion from a fall at a hotel during a non-public dinner in Washington, D.C.
McConnell froze up while chatting with reporters on Wednesday in Covington, Kentucky. He stood at a lectern for about 30 seconds without speaking after being asked an issue.
He experienced an analogous episode while chatting with reporters July 26 within the Capitol during a press conference by Senate Republicans.
Monahan in his letter wrote that he examined McConnell after the second “temporary episode.”
That exam “[included] several medical evaluations: brain MRI imaging, EEG study and consultations with several neurologists for a comprehensive neurology assessment.”
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell waves as he leaves his Washington, D.C. house to return to work on the U.S. Senate, lower than every week after he froze for greater than 30 seconds while chatting with reporters at an event in his home state of Kentucky, in Washington, D.C., Sept. 5, 2023.
Jonathan Ernst | Reuters
Along with ruling out a stroke, Monahan also ruled out the prospect that McConnell had a transient ischemic attack, which is “a stroke that lasts only a couple of minutes,” in accordance with the National Institutes of Health.
Monahan on Thursday had issued a letter saying he consulted with McConnell and “his neurology team.”
“After evaluating yesterday’s incident, I actually have informed Leader McConnell that he’s medically clear to proceed along with his schedule as planned,” the doctor wrote. “Occasional lightheadedness isn’t unusual in concussion recovery and can be expected consequently of dehydration.”
