Relationship of self-perceptions of memory and worry to objective measures of memory and cognition in the general population

This investigation compared how perceived memory ability or level of worry about memory related to performance on objective tests of memory and cognition. Data from 1, 488 participants from the Baltimore cohort of the Epidemiologic Catchment Area study were analyzed. Significant associations were found between self-ratings of memory and each of four objective measures of cognitive functioning. Memory worry was associated with worse delayed recall but not with worse word recognition, lower current Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score, or greater change in MMSE score over time. Individuals experiencing changes in cognitive function appear to have some awareness of their condition, and a simple probe of a person's perception of memory in the context of a general medical evaluation may help identify those who need further assessment.