If Your Memory Feels Like It's Not What It Once Was, It Could Point to a Future Dementia Risk

A study in PLoS One found that certain presentations of memory issues by older adults are predictive of future dementia, reports Medical Xpress . "We found that when older adults go to their general practitioner with memory-specific subjective cognitive complaints, it would be wise to take it seriously as they may predict future dementia," said Katya Numbers at the University of New South Wales' Center for Healthy Brain Aging (CHeBA). She added that subjective cognitive complaints can potentially capture everyday memory problems that clinical tests may overlook. "They can refer to specific changes in memory ability or changes in other cognitive domains like language or processing speed," Numbers said. Her work builds on an earlier investigation into the relationship between self-reported memory or other cognitive concerns and those provided by family or friends (informants). CheBA Professor Henry Brodaty said comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations conducted initially and annually for six years determined that participant and informant memory-specific cognitive complaints were linked to the rate of global cognitive decline. "The risk of dementia at follow-up was also greater if participants complained about poorer memory or if their informant noted changes in memory and non-memory types of cognition," he added.