Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2014 Jan;10(1):93-8.
doi: 10.1016/j.jalz.2013.01.003. Epub 2013 Apr 3.

Subjective cognitive decline: self and informant comparisons

Richard J Caselli  1 , Kewei Chen  2 , Dona E C Locke  3 , Wendy Lee  2 , Auttawut Roontiva  2 , Dan Bandy  2 , Adam S Fleisher  2 , Eric M Reiman  2
Affiliations

Subjective cognitive decline: self and informant comparisons

Richard J Caselli et al. Alzheimers Dement. 2014 Jan.

Abstract

Background: It is unclear whether self- or informant-based subjective cognition better distinguishes emotional factors from early-stage Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Methods: Healthy members (n = 447) of the Arizona apolipoprotein E (APOE) cohort and their informants completed the self and informant paired Multidimensional Assessment of Neurodegenerative Symptoms questionnaire (MANS).

Results: Decline on the MANS was endorsed by 30.6% of members and 26.2% of informants. Self- and informant-based decliners had higher scores of psychological distress and slightly lower cognitive scores than nondecliners. Over the next 6.7 years, 20 developed mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Converters were older at entry than nonconverters (63.8 [7.0] vs 58.8 [7.3] years, P = .003), 85% were APOE ε4 carriers (P < .0001), and they self-endorsed decline earlier than informants (58.9 [39.2] vs 28.0 [40.4] months before MCI; P = .002).

Conclusions: Self- and informant-based subjective decline correlated with greater psychological distress and slightly lower cognitive performance. Those with incident MCI generally self-endorsed decline earlier than informants.

Keywords: Cognitive aging; Mild cognitive impairment; Preclinical Alzheimer's disease; Subjective cognition.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Reisberg B, Ferris SH, De Leon MJ, Crook T. The global deterioration scale for assessment of primary degenerative dementia. Am J Psychiatry. 1982;139:1136–1139. - PubMed
    1. Gauthier S, Reisberg B, Zaudig M, et al. Mild cognitive impairment. Lancet. 2006;367:1262–1270. - PubMed
    1. Derouesne C, Lacomplez L, Thibault S, LePoncin M. Memory complaints in young and elderly subjects. Int J Geriatr Psychiat. 1999;14:291–301. - PubMed
    1. Jorm AF, Butterworth P, Anstey KJ, et al. Memory complaints in a community sample aged 60–64 years: associations with cognitive functioning, psychiatric symptoms, APOE genotype, hippocampus and amygdale volumes, and white matter hyperintensities. Psychol Med. 2004;34:1495–1506. - PubMed
    1. Comijs HC, Deeg DJH, Dik MG, Twisk JWR, Jonker C. Memory complaints; the association with psych-affective and health problems and the role of personality characteristics. A 6 year follow-up study. J Affect Disord. 2002;72:157–165. - PubMed

Publication types

Substances