Dementia-Free Older Adults with Subjective Cognitive Impairment Show Lower Mood and No Deficits of Spontaneous Memory Retrieval

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether spontaneous retrieval deficits could be found in individuals with Subjective Cognitive Impairment (SCI). The sample consisted of 52 participants over 65 years of age (mean age = 76.00; SD = 7.48) with 11 males. We asked 26 individuals with SCI and 26 individuals without SCI to perform a prospective memory (PM) task that had previously demonstrated spontaneous retrieval deficits in individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment. The results did not demonstrate the expected differences in a PM task based on spontaneous retrieval [ t(50) = −.05; p = .964, d = .01]. However, participants’ mood did predict their subjective memory complaints ( β = −.51; p < .001) and their subjective assessment of their future memory performance ( r = −.38; p < .01). The findings are in line with numerous studies which have shown that SCI is more related to mood disturbance than to objective cognitive functioning.

Lifestyle Variables Such as Daily Internet Use, as Promising Protective Factors against Cognitive Impairment in Patients with Subjective Memory Complaints. Preliminary Results

Subjective memory complaints (SMCs) may be important markers in the prediction of cognitive deterioration. The aim of this study was to find associations between individual lifestyle factors, which may contribute to cognitive impairment (CI) in people with SMCs and to conduct a literature review on the relationship between internet use and CI in subjects over 50 years old, as a related factor. This was a case-controlled study that included 497 subjects aged over 50 years with SMCs who were recruited from 19 community pharmacies. Three screening tests were used to detect possible CIs, and individuals with at least one test result compatible with a CI were referred to primary care for evaluation. Having self-referred SMC increased the odds of obtaining scores compatible with CI and this factor was significantly related to having feelings of depression (OR = 2.24, 95% CI [1.34, 3.90]), taking anxiolytics or antidepressants (OR = 1.93, 95% CI [1.23, 3.05]), and being female (OR = 1.83, 95% CI [1.15, 2.88]). Thirty percent of our sample obtained scores compatible with CI. Age over 70 years increased the odds of obtaining scores compatible with CI. A high-level education, reading, and daily internet use were factors associated with a reduced risk of positive scores compatible with CI (37–91%, 7–18%, and 67–86%, respectively), while one extra hour television per day increased the risk by 8–30%. Among others, modifiable lifestyle factors such as reading, and daily internet usage may slow down cognitive decline in patients over 50 with SMCs. Four longitudinal studies and one quasi-experimental study found internet use to be beneficial against CI in patients over 50 years of age.

Hidden Objective Memory Deficits Behind Subjective Memory Complaints in Patients With Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Objective:To test the hypothesis that temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients with subjective initial memory complaints (not confirmed by an objective standard assessment) and various phenotypes also show objective very long-term memory deficit with accelerated long-term forgetting. We tested TLE patients with two surprise memory tests after three weeks: the standard Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT), and Epireal, a new test specifically designed to capture more ecological aspects of autobiographical memory.Methods:47 TLE patients (12 hippocampal sclerosis, 12 amygdala enlargement, 11 extensive lesions, 12 normal MRI) who complained about their memory, but for whom the standard neuropsychological assessment did not reveal any memory impairment after a standard delay of 20 minutes, underwent two surprise memory tests after three weeks. They were compared to 35 healthy control subjects.Results:After three weeks, FCSRT and Epireal recall scores were significantly lower in patients than in controls (p<0.001). There was no significant correlation between FCSRT and Epireal scores (p=0.99). Seventy-six percent of TLE patients had objective impairment on at least one of these very long-term memory tests, regardless of the existence and type of lesion or response to antiseizure medication. Easily applicable, Epireal had a higher effect size, detected deficits in 28% more patients, and is a useful addition to the standard workup.Conclusion:Assessing long-term memory should be broadened to a wide spectrum of TLE patients with a memory complaint, regardless of the epileptic syndrome, whether or not associated with a lesion. This could lead to rethinking TLE nosology associated with memory.

Evaluation of Memory Complaints in People Living with HIV in Iran

Background: Several studies have reported that many people living with HIV (PLHIV) complain of memory impairments. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate these complaints both subjectively and objectively. Patients and Methods: For this purpose, 50 PLHIV and 50 of their companions as the control group were selected by the convenience sampling method in Shiraz, Iran, and completed Ray's auditory-verbal learning test and the Patient’s Assessment of Own Functioning Inventory (PAOFI). Data were analyzed using a t-test in SPSS. Results: Our findings showed a significant difference between PLHIV and the control group in terms of subjective memory complaints and objective memory functions. Conclusions: The overall result of the study showed that PLHIV reported more subjective memory complaints and poorer objective memory functions than the control group, regardless of the stage of the disease.

Incidence of Anxiety in Latest Life and Risk Factors. Results of the AgeCoDe/AgeQualiDe Study

Research on anxiety in oldest-old individuals is scarce. Specifically, incidence studies based on large community samples are lacking. The objective of this study is to assess age- and gender-specific incidence rates in a large sample of oldest-old individuals and to identify potential risk factors. The study included data from N = 702 adults aged 81 to 97 years. Anxiety symptoms were identified using the short form of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI-SF). Associations of potential risk factors with anxiety incidence were analyzed using Cox proportional hazard models. Out of the N = 702 older adults, N = 77 individuals developed anxiety symptoms during the follow-up period. The incidence rate was 51.3 (95% CI: 41.2–64.1) per 1000 person-years in the overall sample, compared to 58.5 (95% CI: 43.2–72.4) in women and 37.3 (95% CI: 23.6–58.3) in men. Multivariable analysis showed an association of subjective memory complaints (HR: 2.03, 95% CI: 1.16–3.57) and depressive symptoms (HR: 3.20, 95% CI: 1.46–7.01) with incident anxiety in the follow-up. Incident anxiety is highly common in late life. Depressive symptoms and subjective memory complaints are major risk factors of new episodes. Incident anxiety appears to be a response to subjective memory complaints independent of depressive symptoms.

Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome: Prevalence and Cognitive Performance

Cognitive decline and dementia have a significant impact older adult. Motor Cognitive Risk Syndrome (MCRS) is a pre-dementia stage where slow gait speed and subjective memory complaints are present. MCRS increases the risk of frailty, dementia, disability, falls and overall mortality. We used data from the SABE Colombia study (Health, Well-Being, and Aging) conducted in 2015 in adults aged 60 years and older. After adjusting for confounding variables MCRS was associated with MMSE (OR 0.90, CI 0.82-0.99), pre-frail (OR 9.1, CI 3.26-25.47) and frail (OR 21.38, CI 6.30-72.57). This study found a prevalence of 5.45% of MCRS in Colombian older adults. We found an associations between cognitive performance (MMSE), frailty and MCRS. Our results increase the awareness of a pre-dementia stages different to Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), as these individuals are at greater risk than those with MCI to develop dementia.