Predictors of subjective cognitive difficulties in older adults with atherosclerotic vascular disease.

Objective: The objective of this study was to describe the relationship among cognitive test performance, psychological symptoms, and subjective cognitive difficulties in older adults with atherosclerotic vascular disease.

Method: Participants were 80 adults over the age of 55 with an unequivocal diagnosis of atherosclerotic vascular disease. Participants completed measures of neuropsychological functioning, psychological symptoms, and two measures of subjective cognitive difficulties.

Results: Psychological symptoms were most strongly associated with higher levels of reported cognitive difficulties. Overall neuropsychological functioning was modestly related to subjective cognitive difficulties but did not remain significant after controlling for psychological symptoms.

Conclusions: In this sample of older adults with atherosclerotic vascular disease, self-reported cognitive difficulties were most strongly related to overall level of psychological distress and not to actual cognitive test scores. Therefore, psychological factors may play an important role in the phenomenon of self-perceived cognitive decline in geriatric populations.