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Assessment of Relation Between Subjectıve Memory Complaınts and Objective Cognitive Performance of Elderly Over 55
Mustafa Açikgöz1, Banu Özen Baru T1, Ufuk Emre1
1Department of Neurology, Bülent Ecevit University Faculty of Medicine, Zonguldak, Turkey.
Introduction:
This study investigated the frequency of forgetfulness in elderly individuals over 55 years of age and examined the association of subjective memory complaints (SMCs) with objective cognitive functions,, depression and other risk factors.
Methods:
We recruited 405 patients over 55 years of age who were referred to Neurology, Cardiology, or Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation outpatient clinics. All subjects were questioned regarding forgetfulness and then were administered the Subjective Memory Complaint (SMC) Scale, Mini Mental Test (MMT), Verbal Fluency Test (VFT), Clock Drawing Test (CDT) and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Subjects with SMC were compared with those without SMC in terms of cognition, depression and some laboratory parameters.
Results:
Of the patients, 42.5% complained of forgetfulness. None of these patients had been admitted to hospital for this complaint. Women and patients with low education had more forgetfulness as well as poorer results on the SMC Scale, MMT, VFT, and GDS. Patients with SMC had lower hemoglobin, ferritin and free T4 levels. Female gender and depression was found to be a risk factor for SMCs.
Conclusion:
SMCs are common in people over 55 years of age. Being a woman as well as depression was found to be a risk factor for SMC. Since depression is a treatable condition, these people should be assessed carefully in terms of depressive symptoms. Laboratory parameters, such as hemoglobin, ferritin and free T4 levels should be investigated in patients with SMC. Unlike the other cognitive tests, CDT performance is independent of subjective memory complaints. Elderly patients rarely visit hospital with complaint of SMC, therefore, clinicians should be watchful for this problem.