Hostname: page-component-77f85d65b8-9nbrm Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-04-19T00:25:38.700Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Subjective memory complaints, depressive symptoms and cognition in patients attending a memory outpatient clinic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 December 2013

J. Lehrner ,
D. Moser ,
S. Klug ,
A. Gleiß ,
E. Auff ,
P. Dal-Bianco  and
G. Pusswald
J. Lehrner*
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
D. Moser
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
S. Klug
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
A. Gleiß
Affiliation:
Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics, and Intelligent Systems, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
E. Auff
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
P. Dal-Bianco
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
G. Pusswald
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: PD. Dr. Johann Lehrner, Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1097 Vienna, Austria. Phone: 0043-1-40400-3109; Fax: 0043-1-40400-3141. Email: johann.lehrner@meduniwien.ac.at.
Get access

Abstract

Background:

The goals of this study were to establish prevalence of subjective memory complaints (SMC) and depressive symptoms (DS) and their relation to cognitive functioning and cognitive status in an outpatient memory clinic cohort.

Methods:

Two hundred forty-eight cognitively healthy controls and 581 consecutive patients with cognitive complaints who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were included in the study.

Results:

A statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) between control group and patient group regarding mean SMC was detected. 7.7% of controls reported a considerable degree of SMC, whereas 35.8% of patients reported considerable SMC. Additionally, a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) between controls and patient group regarding Beck depression score was detected. 16.6% of controls showed a clinical relevant degree of DS, whereas 48.5% of patients showed DS. An analysis of variance revealed a statistically significant difference across all four groups (control group, SCI group, naMCI group, aMCI group) (p < 0.001). Whereas 8% of controls reported a considerable degree of SMC, 34% of the SCI group, 31% of the naMCI group, and 54% of the aMCI group reported considerable SMC. A two-factor analysis of variance with the factors cognitive status (controls, SCI group, naMCI group, aMCI group) and depressive status (depressed vs. not depressed) and SMC as dependent variable revealed that both factors were significant (p < 0.001), whereas the interaction was not (p = 0.820).

Conclusions:

A large proportion of patients seeking help in a memory outpatient clinic report considerable SMC, with an increasing degree from cognitively healthy elderly to aMCI. Depressive status increases SMC consistently across groups with different cognitive status.

Keywords

subjective memory impairmentmild cognitive impairment subtypesneuropsychological testing

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 26 , Issue 3 , March 2014 , pp. 463 - 473
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2013 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Abdulrab, K. and Heun, R. (2008). Subjective Memory Impairment. A review of its definitions indicates the need for a comprehensive set of standardised and validated criteria. European Psychiatry, 23, 321–330. doi: 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2008.02.004.Google Scholar
Albert, M. S. et al. (2011). The diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease: recommendations from the National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer's Association workgroups on diagnostic guidelines for Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement, 7, 270–279. doi: S1552-5260(11)00104-X [pii]10.1016/j.jalz.2011.03.008.Google Scholar
Clement, F., Belleville, S. and Gauthier, S. (2008). Cognitive complaint in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 14, 222–232. doi: 10.1017/s1355617708080260.Google Scholar
Dilling, H., Mombour, W. and Schmidt, M. H. (Eds.). (2000). Internationale Klassifikation Psychischer Störungen. ICD-10 Kapitel V (F). Klinisch -diagnostische Leitlinien, 4th edn. Bern: Huber.Google Scholar
Erk, S., Spottke, A., Meisen, A., Wagner, M., Walter, H. and Jessen, F. (2011). Evidence of neuronal compensation during episodic memory in subjective memory impairment. Archives of General Psychiatry, 68, 845–852.Google Scholar
Gatterer, G. (2008). Alters-Konzentrations-Test (AKT) (2., neu normierte Auflage ed.). Göttingen: Hogrefe.Google Scholar
Goodglass, H. and Kaplan, H. (1983). The Assessment of Aphasia and Related Disorders, 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Lea & Fabinger.Google Scholar
Hautzinger, M., Keller, F. and Kühner, C. (2006). Beck Depressions-Inventar (BDI-II), revised edn. Frankfurt: Harcourt.Google Scholar
Ivnik, R. et al. (1992). Mayo`s older Americans normative studies: WAIS-R, WMS-R and AVLT norms for ages 56 through 97. Clinical Neuropsychology, 6, 1–104.Google Scholar
Jessen, F. et al. (2007). Patterns of subjective memory impairment in the elderly: association with memory performance. Psychological Medicine, 37, 1753–1762. doi: 10.1017/s0033291707001122.Google Scholar
Jessen, F. et al. (2010). Prediction of dementia by subjective memory impairment effects of severity and temporal association with cognitive impairment. Archives of General Psychiatry, 67, 414–422.Google Scholar
Jungwirth, S., Fischer, P., Weissgram, S., Kirchmeyr, W., Bauer, P. and Tragl, K. H. (2004). Subjective memory complaints and objective memory impairment in the Vienna-Transdanube aging community. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 52, 263–268. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2004.52066.x.Google Scholar
Kogler, B. (2013). Subjective Memory Complaint in Mild Cognitive Impairment, Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease. Vienna: University of Vienna.Google Scholar
Lam, L. C. W., Lui, V. W. C., Tam, C. W. C. and Chiu, H. R. K. (2005). Subjective memory complaints in Chinese subjects with mild cognitive impairment and early Alzheimer's disease. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 20, 876–882. doi: 10.1002/gps.1370.Google Scholar
Lehrl, S. and Fischer, B. (1997). Kurztest für Cerebale Insuffizienz (c.I.-Test). Ebersberg: Vless.Google Scholar
Lehrner, J., Gleiß, A., Maly, J., Auff, E. and Dal-Bianco, P. (2006). Der Verbale Selektive Reminding Test (VSRT). Ein Verfahren zur Überprüfung verbaler Gedächtnisfunktionen. Neuropsychiatrie, 20, 204–214.Google Scholar
Lehrner, J., Maly, J., Gleiß, A., Auff, E. and Dal-Bianco, P. (2007). The Vienna Neuropsychological Test Battery (VNTB) for detecting dementia – standardization, norms, and validation. Psychologie in Österreich, 4 & 5, 358–365.Google Scholar
Lenehan, M. E., Klekociuk, S. Z. and Summers, M. J. (2012). Absence of a relationship between subjective memory complaint and objective memory impairment in mild cognitive impairment (MCI): is it time to abandon subjective memory complaint as an MCI diagnostic criterion? International Psychogeriatrics, 24, 1505–1514. doi: 10.1017/s1041610212000695.Google Scholar
Morris, J. C. et al. (1989). The Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer`s Disease (CERAD). Part I. Clinical and neuropsychological assessment of Alzheimer`s Disease. Neurology, 39, 1159–1165.Google Scholar
Naismith, S. L., Norrie, L. M., Mowszowski, L. and Hickie, I. B. (2012). The neurobiology of depression in later-life: clinical, neuropsychological, neuroimaging and pathophysiological features. Progress in Neurobiology, 98, 99–143. doi: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2012.05.009.Google Scholar
Oswald, W. D. and Fleischmann, U. M. (1997). Das Nünberger-Alters-Inventar. Göttingen: Hogrefe Verlag.Google Scholar
Panza, F. et al. (2010). Late-life depression, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia: possible continuum? American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 18, 98–116. doi: 10.1097/JGP.0b013e3181b0fa13.Google Scholar
Perrotin, A., Mormino, E. C., Madison, C. M., Hayenga, A. O. and Jagust, W. J. (2012). Subjective cognition and amyloid deposition imaging a Pittsburgh Compound B Positron Emission Tomography Study in normal elderly individuals. Archives of Neurology, 69, 223–229.Google Scholar
Petersen, R. C. and Morris, J. (2005). Mild cognitive impairment as a clinical entity and treatment target. Archives of Neurology, 62, 1160–1163.Google Scholar
Purser, J. L., Fillenbaum, G. G. and Wallace, R. B. (2006). Memory complaint is not necessary for diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment and does not predict 10-year trajectories of functional disability, word recall, or short portable mental status questionnaire limitations. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 54, 335–338. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2005.00589.x.Google Scholar
Pusswald, G. et al. (2013). Prevalence of mild cognitive impairment subtypes in patients attending a memory outpatient clinic – comparison of two modes of MCI classification. Results of the Vienna Conversion to Dementia Study (VCD-Study). Alzheimer's and Dementia, 9, 366–376.Google Scholar
Regard, M., Strauss, E. and Knapp, P. (1982). Children`s production on verbal and non-verbal fluency tasks. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 55, 839–844.Google Scholar
Reid, L. M. and MacLullich, A. M. J. (2006). Subjective memory complaints and cognitive impairment in older people. Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, 22, 471–485. doi: 10.1159/000096295.Google Scholar
Reisberg, B., Shulman, M. B., Torossian, C., Leng, L. and Zhu, W. (2010). Outcome over seven years of healthy adults with and without subjective cognitive impairment. Alzheimers & Dementia, 6, 11–24. doi: 10.1016/j.jalz.2009.10.002.Google Scholar
Reitan, R. (1979). Trail Making Test (TMT). Tucson: Reitan Neuropsychology Laboratory.Google Scholar
Saß, H., Wittchen, H.-U., Zaudig, M. and Houben, I. (2003). Diagnostisches und statistisches Manual psychischer Störungen - Textrevision - DSM-IV-TR Göttingen: Hogrefe Verlag für Psychologie.Google Scholar
Saykin, A. J. et al. (2006). Older adults with cognitive complaints show brain atrophy similar to that of amnestic MCI. Neurology, 67, 834–842. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000234032.77541.a2.Google Scholar
Scheef, L. et al. (2012). Glucose metabolism, gray matter structure, and memory decline in subjective memory impairment. Neurology, 79 (13), 1332–1339. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e31826c1a8d.Google Scholar
Slavin, M. J. et al. (2010). Prevalence and Predictors of “Subjective Cognitive Complaints” in the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 18, 701–710. doi: 10.1097/JGP.0b013e3181df49fb.Google Scholar
Snitz, B. E., Morrow, L. A., Rodriguez, E. G., Huber, K. A. and Saxton, J. A. (2008). Subjective memory complaints an concurrent memory performance in older patients of primary care providers. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 14, 1004–1013. doi: 10.1017/s1355617708081332.Google Scholar
Stasinopoulus, D. M. and Rigby, R. A. (2007). Generalized additive models for location scale and shape (GAMLSS). Journal of Statistical Software, 23, 1–46.Google Scholar
Stewart, R. (2012). Subjective cognitive impairment. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 25, 445–450. doi: 10.1097/YCO.0b013e3283586fd8.Google Scholar
Tewes, U. (1994). Hamburg-Wechsler-Intelligenztest für Erwachsene - Revision 1991 (HAWIE-R). Bern: Verlag Hans Huber.Google Scholar
Visser, P. J. et al. (2009). Prevalence and prognostic value of CSF markers of Alzheimer's disease pathology in patients with subjective cognitive impairment or mild cognitive impairment in the DESCRIPA study: a prospective cohort study. Lancet Neurology, 8, 619–627. doi: 10.1016/s1474-4422(09)70139-5.Google Scholar
Waldorff, F. B., Siersma, V., Vogel, A. and Waldemar, G. (2012). Subjective memory complaints in general practice predicts future dementia: a 4-year follow-up study. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 27, 1180–1188. doi: 10.1002/gps.3765.Google Scholar