The nature of cognitive complaints in healthy older adults with and without objective memory decline

Cognitive and memory complaints were assessed in 100 healthy older adults on two occasions over 2.5 years as part of a 6-year study assessing cognition, mood, and general health factors. Diminished memory for names and actions and lapses in concentration were common complaints, regardless of the ind...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of clinical and experimental neuropsychology 2008-02, Vol.30 (2), p.245-257
Main Authors: Weaver Cargin, J., Collie, A., Masters, C., Maruff, P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult. Elderly
Affect
Aged
Biological and medical sciences
Cognition Disorders - etiology
Cognition Disorders - psychology
Developmental psychology
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Geriatric Assessment
Humans
Male
Memory Disorders - complications
Middle Aged
Neuropsychological Tests
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Retrospective Studies
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Summary:Cognitive and memory complaints were assessed in 100 healthy older adults on two occasions over 2.5 years as part of a 6-year study assessing cognition, mood, and general health factors. Diminished memory for names and actions and lapses in concentration were common complaints, regardless of the individuals' actual cognitive status. No change in cognitive complaints occurred over time, even for individuals whose memory had declined over 6 years. Cognitive complaints correlated with anxiety, depression, and general mental health but not with objectively measured memory or cognition, education or age. Complaints did not differ with gender, apolipoprotein E ϵ4 genotype, cardiovascular risk factors, or intake of sedating medications. Thus, cognitive complaints could not differentiate memory-declining older adults from cognitively normal older adults and were more closely associated with mood and general mental health than actual cognitive status, age, or potential risk factors for Alzheimer's disease. Thus, the evaluation of cognitive complaints must be broad and must consider the correspondence of complaints not only to relevant measurable cognitive abilities but also to the affect of the individual.
ISSN:1380-3395
1744-411X
DOI:10.1080/13803390701377829