Subjective memory complaints: Fact or feeling?

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundSubjective memory complaints (SMCs) are considered a requirement for diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI; Petersen, 2004). However, the evidence for a relationship between SMCs and objective cognitive impairment is mixed and often contradictory (Crumley et al., 2014; Lenehan et al., 2012; Mitchell et al., 2014; Reid & MacLullich, 2006; Roberts et al., 2009). Some research has shown that SMCs are more strongly and consistently related to psychosocial factors such as anxiety, stress, and depression (Balash et al., 2013; Dux et al., 2008; Mowla et al., 2008; Yates et al., 2017). We sought to further examine these relationships by investigating the association of SMCs with multiple objective measures of cognitive functioning as well as its association with other mood and psychosocial characteristics in a community sample of older adults.MethodSMCs were measured by the change subscale of the Metamemory in Adulthood questionnaire (Dixon et al., 1988). Objective cognitive functioning was measured with the California Verbal Learning Test, 2nd Edition (CVLT‐II) and P300 event‐related brain potential amplitude to infrequent target stimuli during a visual Go/NoGo task (i.e., indicator of allocation of attentional resources to motivationally salient stimuli). Perceived stress and psychological well‐being were measured with the NIH Toolbox Emotion Battery. Depression and Anxiety were measured with the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and Geriatric Anxiety Scale (GAS), respectively.ResultsSMCs were positively associated with perceived stress, depression, and anxiety scores, p’s < .002, and negatively associated with psychological wellbeing, p = .028. However, SMCs were not associated with short or long delay verbal memory recall, p’s > .432, nor were they associated with P300 amplitude, p = .966. Further, P300 amplitude was positively related to long delay verbal memory recall, p = .018, and trending toward a significant relationship with short delay verbal recall, p = .086, supporting the use of neural markers of cognitive function to objectively assess potential cognitive impairment.ConclusionsOverall, our findings support the notion that SMCs are related to mood and psychosocial characteristics rather than objective declines in cognitive functioning, questioning the utility of SMCs as a criterion in the diagnosis of MCI.