Subjective Cognitive Complaints, Personality and Brain Amyloid-beta in Cognitively Normal Older Adults.
OBJECTIVE
Subjective cognitive complaints in otherwise normal aging are common but may be associated with preclinical Alzheimer disease in some individuals. Little is known about who is mostly likely to show associations between cognitive complaints and preclinical Alzheimer pathology. We sought to demonstrate associations between subjective complaints and brain amyloid-β in cognitively normal older adults; and to explore personality factors as potential moderators of this association.


METHODS
Cross-sectional observational study.


METHODS
Clinical neuroimaging research center.


METHODS
Community volunteer sample of 92 healthy older adults, screened for normal cognition with comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation.


METHODS
Subjective cognitive self-report measures included the Memory Functioning Questionnaire (MFQ), Cognitive Failures Questionnaire, and the Subjective Cognitive Complaint Scale. Personality was measured with the NEO Five Factor Inventory. Brain amyloid-β deposition was assessed with Pittsburgh compound B (PiB)-PET imaging.


RESULTS
One of three cognitive complaint measures, the MFQ, was associated with global PiB retention (standardized beta = -0.230, p = 0.046, adjusting for age, sex and depressive symptoms). Neuroticism moderated this association such that only high neuroticism individuals showed the predicted pattern of high complaint-high amyloid-β association.


CONCLUSIONS
Evidence for association between subjective cognition and brain amyloid-β deposition in healthy older adults is demonstrable but measure-specific. Neuroticism may moderate the MFQ-amyloid-β association such that it is observed in the context of higher trait neuroticism. Subjective cognitive complaints and neuroticism may reflect a common susceptibility toward psychological distress and negative affect, which are in turn risk factors for cognitive decline in aging and incident Alzheimer disease.
Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA. Electronic address: snitzbe@upmc.edu.
Beth E
BE
Snitz
Statistics Collaborative, Inc., Washington, D.C.
Lisa A
LA
Weissfeld
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
Ann D
AD
Cohen
Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
Oscar L
OL
Lopez
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
Robert D
RD
Nebes
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
Howard J
HJ
Aizenstein
Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
Eric
E
McDade
Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
Julie C
JC
Price
Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
Chester A
CA
Mathis
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
William E
WE
Klunk
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D000814:Aniline Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D003071:Cognition; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D059907:Functional Neuroimaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D057566:Self Report; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000378:metabolism
C475519:2-(4'-(methylamino)phenyl)-6-hydroxybenzothiazole; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D000814:Aniline Compounds; D013844:Thiazoles
Amyloid imaging; cognition; personality; subjective memory