SUBJECTIVE MEMORY COMPLAINTS AND COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE IN A POPULATION OF HEALTHY OLDER ADULTS ATTENDING PRIMARY CARE CENTERS IN SANTIAGO, CHILE

Subjective memory complaints (SMCs) are common in older people and research has shown an association with cognitive performance that can predict the development of future dementia. The aim of this study was to determine whether subjective memory complaints are associated with performance on objective cognitive measures in healthy, community-dwelling older adults. This sample consisted of 190 healthy older adults with no evidence of cognitive impairment. The assessment consisted of the measurement of global cognition and episodic memory, as well as the measurement of subjective memory complaints. The results show an association between memory complaints and poorer performance on memory testing, however, this did not remain significant after statistical adjustment for multiple comparisons. Subjective memory complaints might be an indicator of future memory impairment, however more research is needed to establish a stronger association.