Bakground:

Subjective cognitive complaints (SCCs) are frequently reported by older adults and have been postulated as an early indicator of increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease. However, their usefulness as a marker of the asymptomatic stage remains debated, due to inconsistent associations with objective cognitive performance and stronger links with depressive symptoms.

Aim:

This study examined the associations between SCCs and a clinical battery of cognitive and mood measures in cognitively healthy older adults, both at the time the complaints were reported and at a follow-up on average five years later. The aim was to evaluate the potential predictive value of SCCs for age-related cognitive decline while accounting for the influence of mood on this relationship.

Take-home message:

In healthy older adults, both poorer cognitive performance across multiple domains assessed using clinical measures (particularly episodic memory) and mood each independently contribute to a greater burden of SCCs. Over a five-year period, episodic memory performance and SCCs exhibit a reciprocal relationship, suggesting a feedback loop between overt memory decline and subjective cognitive concerns. Furthermore, baseline mood is significantly associated with the subsequent burden of SCCs.