Memory complaint in attenders at a self-referral memory clinic: The role of cognitive factors,affective symptoms and personality

Memory complaint has been shown to be poorly correlated with objective memory performance in non-demented elderly people. A previous study indicated the possible importance of depression and personality in the presentation of memory complaint in people with mild memory impairment. The present study overcomes some previous methodological limitations and describes memory complaint, cognitive, affective and personality variables in subjects with mild cognitive impairment self-referring to a memory clinic, with non-presenting age- and sex-matched community controls. Self-referrers had a higher original IQ, but no evidence of greater decline in memory despite having more memory complaint. Personality factors were demonstrated to be important alongside affective symptoms in the presentation of memory complaint in these subjects.