Subjective memory complaints in an elderly sample: a cross-sectional study.
BACKGROUND
Community based studies show that neurological or psychiatric symptoms are very frequent among the elderly population, with poor memory complaints being the most common. However, the relationship between poor memory complaints and objective memory performance is unclear. We designed this study to evaluate whether subjective memory complaints (SMC) are associated with objective cognitive performance or depression amongst the elderly Brazilian generation.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was carried out in 114 patients who were 50+, with or without SMC having no obvious cognitive impairment at its baseline (this was screened by the Mini-Mental State Examination with cut-off values adapted according to the subjects' educational background). Subjects were assessed regarding memory difficulty complaints, demographic data and underwent a neuropsychological assessment made up of nine cognitive tests (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, Visual Reproduction Test, Logic Memory--History A, Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test, Stroop Test, Digit Span, Digit Symbol, Trail Making Test, fluency tests: naming animals and fruits) and the Geriatric Depression Scale.


RESULTS
Twenty-one percent of the subjects had subjective memory complaints. The scores in the cognitive assessment of subjects with SMC did not differ from the scores of subjects without SMC. However, patients with subjective memory complaints had lower scores in the fluency test--category animals and the Geriatric Depression Scale.


CONCLUSIONS
These results support the finding from other cross-sectional studies showing that subjective memory complaints are associated with depressive symptoms rather than objective cognitive performance.
Minett
Thaís Soares Cianciarullo
TS
Sector of Behavioural Neurology, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, Brazil. thaisminett@hotmail.com
Da Silva
Rosimeire Vieira
RV
Ortiz
Karin Zazo
KZ
Bertolucci
Paulo Henrique Ferreira
PH
D000368:Aged; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics