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O1‐10‐03: Subjective memory difficulties are associated with hippocampal atrophy over four years: The Path Through Life Study
Author(s) -
Cherbuin Nicolas,
SargentCox Kerry,
Sachdev Perminder,
Anstey Kaarin
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.713
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1552-5279
pISSN - 1552-5260
DOI - 10.1016/j.jalz.2012.05.259
Subject(s) - atrophy , dementia , cognitive decline , hippocampus , medicine , psychology , cognition , audiology , hippocampal formation , gerontology , depression (economics) , anxiety , psychiatry , disease , economics , macroeconomics
Background: Subjective memory difficulties (SMDs) are associated with greater cross-sectional and prospective decline in cognitive function in epidemiological and clinical studies. Little evidence is available linking SMDs and structural brain changes in cognitively healthy individuals. The aim of this study was to investigate whether SMDs were associated with atrophy of the hippocampus, a structure strongly implicated in memory and cognitive decline. Methods: Associations between SMDs and hippocampal atrophy over 4 years were investigated in a sample of 305 cognitively healthy individuals aged 60-64 years and taking part in a longitudinal study of ageing: the PATH through life study. Only participants with imaging data and who were free from dementia, MCI and other neurological disorder were included. Hippocampal volumes were manually traced by an experienced neuroscientist on 1.5T MRI scans. SMDs were assessed by self-report “Do you feel you can remember things as well as you used to?”. Multiple regression analyses were used to assess the relationship between incident hippocampal atrophy and SMDs at baseline and follow-up. Covariates included sex, age, intra-cranial volume (ICV), APOE genotype, anxiety and depression symptomatology. Results: Participants had a mean age of 62.6 years (SD 1⁄4 1.38), a mean follow-up of 4.0 years (SD 1⁄4 0.21), and 44.9% were female. Memory difficulties were reported by 70 participants at baseline and 56 at follow-up. After controlling for ICV, time between assessments, gender age and APOE genotype SMDs at follow up were associated with greater hippocampal atrophy (Left: beta1⁄4 -0.96, P1⁄4 0.047; Right: beta1⁄4 -0.122, p1⁄4 0.010). Associations were reduced after further controlling for anxiety and depression symptomatology (Left: beta 1⁄4 -0.082, P 1⁄4 0.098; Right: beta 1⁄4 -0.109, P 1⁄4 0.025). SMDs at baseline were not significant predictors of hippocampal atrophy. Conclusions: In this large community-based sample of cognitively healthy individuals subjective memory difficulties were associated with prior but not future hippocampal atrophy. These effects persisted even after controlling for anxiety and depression symptomatology. The present findings bring further evidence suggesting a biological origin to subjective memory difficulties thus reinforcing the view such reports should be taken seriously and where possible included in screening and neuropsychological batteries used in the assessment of cognitive decline and dementia.