Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40743478›Full record

ArticleNeurology2025

Association of Subjective Memory Complaints With Neuropathologic Changes at Age 90 or Older: The 90+ Study.

Zarui A Melikyan, Zeinah Al-Darsani, Katherine A Colcord, Annlia Paganini-Hill, Luohua Jiang, Syed A Bukhari, Thomas J Montine, Claudia H Kawas, Maria M Corrada

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Article in Neurology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

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2citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Zarui A MelikyanDepartment of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine.ORCID 0000-0002-8495-5546
Zeinah Al-DarsaniDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Temple University College of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA.ORCID 0009-0005-0148-649X
Katherine A ColcordInstitute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine.
Annlia Paganini-HillBeckman Laser Institute & Medical Clinic, University of California, Irvine.ORCID 0000-0003-4106-3334
Luohua JiangDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, Irvine.ORCID 0000-0002-2281-7260
Syed A BukhariDepartment of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA; and.
Thomas J MontineDepartment of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA; and.ORCID 0000-0002-1346-2728
Claudia H KawasDepartment of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine.ORCID 0000-0001-9577-230X
Maria M CorradaInstitute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine.ORCID 0000-0002-8168-8593

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

objectivesSubjective memory complaints (SMCs), defined as perception of one's own memory problems, have been associated with Alzheimer disease (AD) neuropathologic changes. Yet, whether SMC is associated with non-AD neuropathologic changes and whether this association is present in both those with normal cognition and those with cognitive impairment is not known. We examined the association of SMC with neurodegenerative and vascular neuropathologic changes in individuals aged 90 and older (oldest old) without dementia at death.

methodsWe analyzed data from The 90+ Study, an ongoing longitudinal study of aging in Southern California. The study enrolled individuals older than 90 years with evaluations every 6 months and followed until death. Cross-sectional analyses included participants with an SMC evaluation, no dementia at death, and a neuropathologic examination. The predictor, SMC, was defined as a "yes" response to the question from the Geriatric Depression Questionnaire (GDS), "Do you feel you have more problems with memory than most?" at any time during the follow-up. The outcomes were 12 neuropathologic changes, both vascular and neurodegenerative, dichotomized as present/absent. We estimated odds ratio (OR) and 95% CI in the entire group and separately for individuals classified with normal cognition and Cognitive Impairment No Dementia (CIND) at a postmortem case conference using logistic regression adjusted for demographics, GDS minus the SMC item, and Mini-Mental State Examination.

resultsIn the 238 participants (mean age at autopsy = 97.5 years, 62% women), 51% had normal cognition at death and 28% reported SMC at some point during follow-up. In the entire group, individuals with SMC had higher odds of atherosclerosis (OR 2.07; 95% CI 1.12-2.83) compared with those without SMC. Among individuals with normal cognition, those with SMC had higher odds of AD neuropathologic change (OR 2.88; 95% CI 1.05-7.92), Lewy Body Disease (OR 3.56; 95% CI 1.07-11.83), and atherosclerosis (OR 3.13; 95% CI 1.21-8.09) compared with no SMC. In individuals with CIND, SMC were not associated with neuropathologic changes. DISCUSSION: In the oldest old with normal cognition at death SMC were associated with neurodegenerative and vascular neuropathologic changes, suggesting that underlying pathology of SMC is multifactorial.

Indexed as

AgingBrainMemory DisordersAged, 80 and overCognitive DysfunctionCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMale

Identifiers

PMID40743478
PMCPMC12320285

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