An approach to classifying subjective cognitive decline in community-dwelling elders

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neuroscience
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is a potential early indicator of Alzheimer's disease.
• Current research lacks standardized methods for classifying SCD in community settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between self-perceived cognitive functioning and incident amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI).
• To develop and validate an approach for classifying SCD in longitudinal studies.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Cox models on data from 1115 neuropsychologically intact older adults.
• Assessed baseline self-perceived cognitive functioning using three distinct methods.
• Controlled for covariates including age, sex, education, race/ethnicity, general cognition, and depressive symptoms.

Main Results:

• Self-perceived cognitive functioning consistently predicted incident aMCI over a median follow-up of 3 years.
• Age, general cognition, and perceived control were also significantly associated with aMCI.
• Established optimal cut points for SCD classification to enhance diagnostic accuracy.

Conclusions:

• The study provides a novel approach for classifying SCD in cognitive aging research.
• Findings have implications for improving the design and interpretation of studies on cognitive decline and dementia.