Subjective cognitive and non‐cognitive complaints and brain MRI biomarkers in the MEMENTO cohort

Abstract

Introduction Subjective cognitive complaints may be a signature of preclinical stage Alzheimer's disease. However, the link between subjective cognitive and non‐cognitive complaints and brain alterations remains unclear. Methods The relationship between cognitive and non‐cognitive complaints and brain biomarkers, measured by structural magnetic resonance imaging, was investigated in 2056 participants of the MEMENTO cohort of outpatients, who were dementia‐free at baseline. We assessed whether the cognitive status at inclusion or the presence of the apolipoprotein E gene variant (APOE) ε4 could modulate the association between the intensity of complaints and brain lesions. Results Smaller hippocampal volume was associated with higher memory complaints and discomfort in daily life. In APOE ε4 carriers, smaller whole‐brain white matter and gray matter volumes and gyrification indices in several regions of interest of the parietal and temporal lobes, in the entorhinal and the para‐hippocampal gyrus, were associated with higher memory complaint score. Conclusions The intensity of subjective complaints in not only memory but discomfort in daily life was associated with brain degeneration markers. The presence of APOE ε4 modulated the relationships between subjective memory complaints and brain alterations.

Timed Up and Go in People with Subjective Cognitive Decline Is Associated with Faster Cognitive Deterioration and Cortical Thickness

“…Like some of the other studies, we did not find associations between TUG and hippocampal volume [51]. However, hippocampal degeneration may occur later in the degeneration process, reported mainly when cognitive symptoms are more pronounced [54].…”

Associations of Circulating Insulin-Growth Factor-1 With Cognitive Functions and Quality of Life Domains in Ambulatory Young Adults With Cerebral Palsy: A Pilot Study

“…On the other hand, subjective cognitive complaints, which are self-reported and subjective in nature, did not seem to a good measure for assessing cognitive health in this population, based on the lack of association with IGF-1. In contrast, subjective cognitive complaints reported by cognitively healthy older adults, have shown significant associations between the complaint scores and multiple brain degeneration markers ( 57 – 59 ). This discrepancy could lie in the ability of the patient to accurately appraise their own cognitive abilities, since our population had a high percentage of individuals with characteristics of MCI (75%), who could have dismissed minor cognitive issues as forgetfulness.…”

Associations Between Cognitive Complaints, Memory Performance, Mood, and Amyloid-β Accumulation in Healthy Amyloid Negative Late-Midlife Individuals

“…It is important to note that the definition of SCD posits that cognitive complaints are not necessarily limited to the memory domain, but may also include other cognitive domains [5,74]. Previous cross-sectional studies have also reported that, while remaining clinically normal, a higher SCD level is related to lower performance on global cognition [8,9,75,76], and more specific cognitive functions, including verbal episodic memory and executive functions [10].…”