Clusters of cognitive performance predict long‐term cognitive impairment in elderly patients with subjective memory complaints and healthy controls

Abstract

INTRODUCTIONPatients with subjective memory complaints (SMC) may include subgroups with different neuropsychological profiles and risks of cognitive impairment.METHODSCluster analysis was performed on two datasets (n: 630 and 734) comprising demographic and neuropsychological data from SMC and healthy controls (HC). Survival analyses were conducted on clusters. Bayesian model averaging assessed the predictive utility of clusters and other biomarkers.RESULTSTwo clusters with higher and lower than average cognitive performance were detected in SMC and HC. Assignment to the lower performance cluster increased the risk of cognitive impairment in both datasets (hazard ratios: 1.78 and 2.96; Plog‐rank: 0.04 and <0.001) and was associated with lower hippocampal volumes and higher tau/amyloid beta 42 ratios in cerebrospinal fluid. The effect of SMC was small and confounded by mood.DISCUSSIONThis study provides evidence of the presence of cognitive clusters that hold biological significance and predictive value for cognitive decline in SMC and HC.Highlights Patients with subjective memory complaints include two cognitive clusters. Assignment to the lower performance cluster increases risk of cognitive impairment. This cluster shows a pattern of biomarkers consistent with incipient Alzheimer's disease pathology. The same cognitive cluster structure is found in healthy controls. The effect of memory complaints on risk of cognitive decline is small and confounded.