What Do Cognitive Complaints in a Sample of Memory Clinic Outpatients Reflect?

Abstract

Conflicting evidence exists concerning the value of cognitive complaints in the course of assessing cognitive performance in individuals. The present study examines whether cognitive complaints are differentially related to cognitive functioning in groups with different diagnoses. 169 older outpatients (76 years on average) were divided into three groups and diagnosed with subjective cognitive complaints, mild cognitive impairment, or dementia. They were then administered a self-rating questionnaire on cognitive complaints, with semantic fluency and global cognitive functioning being assessed as cognitive measures. Multiple regression analyses revealed that, after controlling for depression, age, sex, and education, global cognitive functioning was not related to cognitive complaints. Semantic fluency was related to cognitive complaints depending on the group. Results suggest that cognitive complaints reflect, in part, actual cognitive performance.