Do symptoms of memory impairment correspond to cognitive impairment: a cross sectional study of a clinical cohort.
BACKGROUND
Symptoms of memory loss are a common complaint within the general population and a frequent reason for seeking medical advice. However, the clinical relevance of these symptoms to future development of neurodegenerative disease is uncertain. The aim of this study is to characterise a cohort of individuals with symptoms of memory loss and varying memory impairment, who will be followed longitudinally with serial neuropsychology and neuroimaging to evaluate the clinical relevance of symptoms of memory loss.


METHODS
Fifty-eight subjects with symptoms of memory loss were recruited from the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery. All subjects underwent clinical assessment, APOE4 genotyping, neuroimaging and neuropsychological tests.


RESULTS
Those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) had an increased prevalence of the APOE4 allele, impaired performance on tests of memory, measures of IQ and naming compared to controls. Baseline brain volumes were decreased and ventricular size increased. Those with symptoms of memory loss but no cognitive impairment (SNCI) performed significantly worse on tests of memory than the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
The MCI represent a group with multiple risk factors for progression to AD. The SNCI group may represent a heterogeneous group with some individuals in the early stages of AD whilst others' memory complaints are more likely linked to anxiety or personality traits.
Archer
H A
HA
Institute of Neurology, Dementia Research Centre, London, WC1N 3BG.
Macfarlane
F
F
Price
S
S
Moore
E K
EK
Pepple
T
T
Cutler
D
D
Frost
C
C
Fox
N C
NC
Rossor
M N
MN
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4 / Q000235:genetics; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
D053327:Apolipoprotein E4