Subjective memory complaints in healthy elderly people: association with objective performance and mood

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the relationship between subjective memory complaints, objective performance and emotional factors in a sample of cognitively healthy elderly people. Method: The participants were 44 elderly people living in the municipality of São Caetano do Sul, aged 60 and over. The individuals' knowledge, perceptions and feelings about memory were captured using the MAC-Q. Depression and anxiety were detected using the GDS and GAI, respectively, while objective memory performance was measured using the subtests that make up the Working Memory Factor Index of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. All the instruments were applied in a single meeting, individually, with the consent of the participants. Results: There was no significant association between subjective memory complaints and objective performance. Memory complaints were positively related to symptoms of anxiety and depression, with anxiety being the only significant predictor. Conclusion: In the absence of objective cognitive decline, subjective memory complaints seem to highlight the impact of negative emotions on the perception of memory performance. These results contribute to understanding the role of psychological variables in the perception of memory in healthy ageing.