Subjective cognitive decline is associated with neurocognition in the SOL‐INCA study

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundSubjective cognitive decline (SCD) is the experience of cognitive decline not yet apparent through formal neuropsychological testing. SCD is required to meet clinical criteria for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and is a potential early risk marker of neurocognitive changes. Despite increased risk of cognitive decline in US Hispanics/Latinos, SCD research in this group is lacking. We investigated if SCD is cross‐sectionally associated with objective neurocognitive performance in SOL‐INCA, a large community‐based sample of diverse Hispanics/Latinos.MethodParticipants (N=5,282) were age 50+ and without reported dementia. The Everyday Cognition Short Form (ECog‐12) scale measured SCD. A global score, as well as memory and executive ECog‐12 sub‐scale scores, were calculated by averaging across z‐scores of individual items assessing memory and executive functional abilities (all items were averaged for the global score). Objective neurocognitive function was measured with tests of memory (Spanish English Verbal Learning Test‐Sum and Recall scores) and executive functions (word fluency, Trail Making Test A & B, and Digit Symbol Substitution scores). Memory, executive, and global neurocognitive composite scores were created by averaging across z‐scores for each cognitive domain listed above, and across all tests for the global composite. Regression models interrogated associations of ECog‐12 (global and sub‐scale scores) with their respective objective neurocognitive function counterparts (global cognition, memory, and executive function neurocognitive composite scores), adjusting for age, sex, education, Hispanic/Latino background, depression, anxiety, and cardiovascular risk factors.ResultWomen comprised 53% of the sample and 25% of the sample were age 70+. Global score, memory, and executive sub‐scale ECog‐12 scores were significantly associated with global (B= ‐0.14), memory (B= ‐0.11), and executive function (B= ‐0.11) neurocognitive composite scores respectively (all p‐values <.001), such that higher ECog‐12 scores (more complaints) were related to lower neurocognition for all three neurocognitive composites.ConclusionContrary to previous research in non‐Hispanic Whites, SCD is associated with concurrent objective neurocognitive function among Hispanic/Latino community‐dwelling adults. SCD may have utility as an early risk marker in this population. More research is needed to determine the predictive value of SCD reporting within Hispanics/Latinos as well as the utility of informant’s report in predicting neurocognitive change.