Abstract
Prevalence of subjective memory complaints (SMC) in elderly community dwellers (ECD) ranges from 25 to 50%. Some controversy exists over the association between SMC and cognitive status. Objective: We investigated whether a correlation in cognitive performance existed between two different groups according to SMC. Methods: The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Dementia Rating Scale-Mattis (DRS-Mattis) were applied to two groups: ECD (n=14) with SMC and residents (n=14) of a long-term care facility (LTCF) without SMC. Results: The median age in the ECD group was 81.0 years, and in the LTCF group was 75.0 years. There was a statistically significant difference (p=0.048) between these groups regarding age. Concerning schooling (1-8 or ³9 years), there was no statistically significant difference between the groups (p=0.638). No statistically significant difference between the two groups was found for scores on the cognitive tests. Conclusion: SMC might be related to extrinsic factors other than insipient cognitive decline.
Key words:
elderly; subjective memory complaint; mild cognitive impairment