Article

Do subjective memory complaints precede dementia? A three-year follow-up of patients with supposed ‘benign senescent forgetfulness’

  1. John T. O'Brien1,
  2. Barbara Beats2,
  3. Katie Hill3,
  4. Robert Howard4,
  5. Barbara Sahakian5,
  6. Prof. Raymond Levy6,*

Article first published online: 13 OCT 2004

DOI: 10.1002/gps.930070705

Issue

International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry

International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry

Volume 7, Issue 7, pages 481–486, July 1992

Additional Information

How to Cite

O'Brien, J. T., Beats, B., Hill, K., Howard, R., Sahakian, B. and Levy, R. (1992), Do subjective memory complaints precede dementia? A three-year follow-up of patients with supposed ‘benign senescent forgetfulness’. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 7: 481–486. doi: 10.1002/gps.930070705

Author Information

  1. 1

    Research Registrar, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK

  2. 2

    Research Psychologist, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK

  3. 3

    Lecturer in Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK

  4. 4

    Senior Lecturer, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK

  5. 5

    Professor of Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK

  6. 6

    Senior Registrar in Old Age Psychiatry, Maudsley Hospital, London, UK

*Section of Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, London SE5 8AZ, UK. Fax: 071 701 0167

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 13 OCT 2004
  2. Article first published online: 13 OCT 2004
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 10 DEC 1991
  4. Manuscript Received: 18 OCT 1991

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Keywords:

  • Benign senescent forgetfulness;
  • memory disorders;
  • memory complaints;
  • elderly;
  • dementia;
  • diagnosis;
  • follow-up studies

Abstract

A three-year follow-up study is reported of people presenting to a hospital memory clinic with ‘benign senescent forgetfulness’.All were complaining of forgetfulness for which no organic or psychiatric cause could be found. Sixty-four out of the 68 patients initially seen were traced, of whom three had died. Six (8.8%) were found to have become demented, a slightly higher proportion than would be expected given the age of the population. No particular clinical features were found that predicted the subsequent development of dementia. Cognitive performance of remaining non-demented subjects showed a significant but relatively modest decline, probably related to the effects of normal ageing. It is concluded that memory complaint must be taken seriously in the elderly and may sometimes indicate early dementia despite normal scores on simple screening tests. However, a finding of normality after careful assessment is reassuringly correct in the majority of cases.

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