How subjective are subjective language complaints

Subjective language complaints (SLC) are common during ageing but have not been investigated in detail. We aim to determine their association with demographic and clinical variables and objective cognitive performance.

A sample of 479 individuals aged 50 years or above (average 66 ± 9.1 years), followed in primary care, with no history of brain disorder were asked two questions concerning SLC, fulfilled a depression scale and undertook a battery of cognitive tests. Response to questions regarding proper name retrieval (PNR) and word finding difficulties (WFD) was studied and their contribution to each measure of the battery calculated by repeated linear regression analysis, adjusting for age, sex, education, living alone and depressive symptoms.

Word finding difficulties (47.6%) were more frequently reported than problematic PNR (10.9%). Both were more common in women, in subjects with depressive symptoms and in those living alone, but were unrelated with age or education. Both symptoms contributed significantly to the variance in tests of semantic fluency and episodic memory. PNR was also associated with immediate phonological memory.

Subjective language complaints are especially common amongst individuals living alone and/or with depressive symptoms. They are associated with a worse cognitive performance in some memory and language-executive tests. Further studies are needed to understand their predictive value for cognitive decline.