[Complaints of memory loss in the elderly]

Frequency of memory complaints increases with age. Such complaints can be the presenting symptom of Alzheimer's disease. Most cases, however, are not related to Alzheimer's disease. They are included in the constructs of benign senescent forgetfulness or age-associated memory impairment. In the later, memory complaints are considered as the subjective counterpart of the age-associated decline in memory test performance. Actually, memory complaints are associated with various factors: perceptual disorders, general health, functional disability, affective disturbances, psychosocial changes... The first step in the management of memory complaints is to rule out Alzheimer's disease and affective disturbances which could require specific therapeutic measures. Most often, memory complaints are the only presenting symptom: the signification of complaints should be analysed in each individual considering all the possibly causal factors in order to elaborate the appropriate management.