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Updated: Apr 10, 2026

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation tDCS for Memory Enhancement
Published on: September 18, 2021
Memory Complaints in Older Adults: Prognostic Value and Stability in Reporting over Time
Diane B Howieson1, Nora Mattek1, Hiroko H Dodge2
1Layton Aging and Alzheimer's Disease Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
Objective:
The purpose of this longitudinal study was to examine the prognostic value of subjective memory complaints in 156 cognitively intact community-dwelling older adults with a mean age of 83 years.
Methods:
Participants were assessed for subjective memory complaints, cognitive performance, functional status, and mood at annual evaluations with a mean follow-up of 4.5 years.
Results:
Subjective memory complaint at entry (n=24) was not associated with impaired memory performance and did not predict memory decline or progression to incipient dementia. Memory complaints were inconsistent across examinations for 62% of participants who reported memory problems.
Conclusions:
Memory complaints by older adults are inconsistent over time. Memory complaint's value as a research criterion for selecting people at risk for dementia is weak among community dwelling older adults. Age, length of follow-up, and other population characteristics may affect the implication of self-reported memory problems.
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