Subjective memory complaints, cognitive performance, and psychological factors in healthy older adults

Susanne I. Steinberg, Selamawit Negash, Mary D. Sammel, Hillary Bogner, Brian T. Harel, Melissa G. Livney, Hannah McCoubrey, David A. Wolk, Mitchel A. Kling, Steven E. Arnold

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

133 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether subjective memory complaints (SMCs) are associated with performance on objective cognitive measures and psychological factors in healthy, community-dwelling older adults. Method: The cohort was composed of adults, 65 years and older with no clinical evidence of cognitive impairment (n = 125). Participants were administered: CogState computerized neurocognitive battery, Prospective RetrospectiveMemory Questionnaire, personality andmeaning-in-lifemeasures. Results: SMCs were associated with poorer performance on measures of executive function (p = 0.001). SMCs were also associated with impaired delayed recall (p=0.006) but this did not remain significant after statistical adjustment for multiple comparisons. SMCs were inversely associated with conscientiousness (p = 0.004) and directly associated with neuroticism (p ≤ 0.001). Higher scores on SMCs were associated with higher perceived stress (p = 0.001), and ineffective coping styles (p = 0.001). Factors contributing to meaning-in-life were associated with fewer SMCs (p ≤ 0.05). Conclusions: SMCs may reflect early, subtle cognitive changes and are associated with personality traits and meaning-in-life in healthy, older adults.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)776-783
Number of pages8
JournalAmerican Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and other Dementias
Volume28
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2013
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Neuroscience
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Geriatrics and Gerontology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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