Presence and Persistence of Perceived Subjective Cognitive Complaints and Incident Mild Cognitive Impairments Among Community-Residing Older Adults.

Objectives: To examine whether Subjective Cognitive Complaints (SCCs) predicted incident mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Design: Prospective Study.

Setting: Central Control of Mobility and Aging (CCMA), a cohort study of community-residing older adults.

Participants: Participants were dementia-free community-residing older adults.

Measurements: SCCs were assessed at the baseline and via bi-monthly structured phone interviews during the first year using the Ascertain Dementia 8 (AD8). Nonpersistent status required one or two SCCs endorsements and Persistent status required three or more SCCs endorsements. Outcome, presence of mild cognitive impairments (MCI) was determined by established case conference diagnostic procedures. Participants were followed annually. Generalized estimating equations (GEE), logistic model type, were used to determine the odds of developing MCI during follow-up. SCCs served as the three-level predictor (no/nonpersistent/persistent) and cognitive status (MCI versus normal) as the binary outcome. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, education, race, health status, depressive symptoms, and global cognition.

Results: The sample (n=454; mean age=75.67 ± 6.43; %female=55.3) included 245 participants who reported no SCCs, 156 who reported 1-2 SCCs, and 53 who reported 3 or more SCCs. Sixty-eight participants developed MCI during follow-up. Results showed that compared to no SCCs, persistent SCCs, and nonpersistent SCCs were significantly associated with increased odds of developing MCI during follow-up.

Conclusions: The presence of SCCs regardless of their persistence was associated with increased odds of developing MCI even when adjusting for objectively-assessed cognitive performance.