MEMORY COMPLAINT IN ATTENDERS AT A SELF-REFERRAL MEMORY CLINIC - THE ROLE OF COGNITIVE-FACTORS, AFFECTIVE SYMPTOMS AND PERSONALITY

Memory complaint has been shown to be poorly correlated with objective memory performance in non-demented elderly people. A previous study i ndicated the possible importance of depression and personality in the presentation of memory complaint in people with mild memory impairment . The present study overcomes some previous methodological limitations and describes memory complaint, cognitive, affective and personality variables in subjects with mild cognitive impairment self-referring to a memory clinic, with non-presenting age- and sex-matched community c ontrols. Self-referrers had a higher original IQ, but no evidence of g reater decline in memory despite having more memory complaint. Persona lity factors were demonstrated to be important alongside affective sym ptoms in the presentation of memory complaint in these subjects.