Memory complaints are frequent but qualitatively different in young and elderly healthy people.
BACKGROUND
Subjective memory complaints are frequently reported by the elderly. There is less information about the characterization of subjective memory complaints in young people.


OBJECTIVE
To determine different memory complaints between young and elderly people with the use of the Subjective Memory Complaints (SMC) scale.


METHODS
Participants were volunteers attending a health itinerant unit, a blood donor centre, a leisure centre for retired people, a senior citizens college or university. All participants were questioned about their own memory abilities using the SMC scale and assessed for the presence of depressive symptoms.


RESULTS
Nine-hundred and forty-six subjects aged 18-92 years were included in the study. The mean total score on the SMC scale was 4.89 +/- 3.03, and 75.9% of the participants had at least minor complaints about their memory. Older people had more general memory complaints and reported they were more likely to become transiently confused, whereas younger people reported they were more frequently told by others that they were forgetful and would more often take notes.


CONCLUSIONS
Memory complaints were frequent both in young and elderly subjects, but the detailed assessment revealed age-related differences in the type of complaints.
Dementia Clinics, University of Lisbon, Portugal.
Sandra
S
Ginó
Tiago
T
Mendes
João
J
Maroco
Filipa
F
Ribeiro
Ben A
BA
Schmand
Alexandre
A
de Mendonça
Manuela
M
Guerreiro
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D004522:Educational Status; D006801:Humans; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011174:Portugal; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult