title: Are subjective cognitive complaints a risk factor for dementia?
abstract: The objective is to evaluate the prognosis of subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) patients during 4-year follow-up. A prospective study on 92 SCC patients investigating their cognitive, affective and behavioural aspects. SCC patients were classified as having no objective cognitive impairment (NOCI), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or subtypes of MCI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  43 patients were found to have NOCI and 49 MCI. During the follow-up, 45.5% of NOCI patients remained unchanged, 13.9% were diagnosed as MCI and only one progressed to dementia. Of the MCI patients, 32.3% remained stable, 18.4% became demented and 4% reverted to NOCI. Visual attention, behavioural memory, long-term verbal memory, apathy and caregiver distress, provided independent predictors of progression to dementia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Bologna, via U. Foscolo 7, 40123, Bologna, Italy. roberto.gallassi@unibo.it
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gallassi
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Oppi
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Poda
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scortichini
authors.forename: Michelangelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stanzani Maserati
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marano
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sambati
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D020945:Lupus Vasculitis, Central Nervous System; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors