Subjective memory complaints are associated with longitudinal declines in connected speech language. (31st December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Van Hulle, Carol A; Koscik, Rebecca L; Johnson, Sterling C.; Mueller, Kimberly D
• Is Part Of: Alzheimer's & dementia. Volume 17(2021)Supplement 6
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2021-12-31
• Subjects: Alzheimer's disease -- Periodicals; Alzheimer Disease -- Periodicals; Dementia -- Periodicals; Démence; Maladie d'Alzheimer; Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 616.83
• DOI: 10.1002/alz.055709
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1552-5260

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Subjective memory complaints (SMC) in the absence of impaired performance on objective measures increases risk for dementia among some individuals. Connected Speech Language (CSL) is language produced in a continuous sequence as in conversations. Subtle, yet detectable, changes in CSL have been shown to predict cognitive decline, suggesting that changes in discourse are an early clinical symptom of dementia. Here we examined whether a baseline assessment of SMC was associated prospectively with longitudinal CSL age‐related trajectories. Method: N= 1039 participants who completed SMC and CSL assessment were drawn from the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer's Prevention, a longitudinal study of preclinical AD, in middle‐aged adults. SMC reflects the average rating (1‐7) across the Memory Functioning Questionnaire frequency of forgetting subscale. To ensure SMC did not reflect transient memory problems, participants were grouped into no self‐reported problems, persistent self‐reported problems, or inconsistent self‐reported problems (Figure 1) across time. Participants in the inconsistent group ( n = 237) and those with fewer than three SMC assessments ( n =54) were excluded from analyses. Participant's speech was recorded while describing the "Cookie Theft" picture from the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination. CSL outcomes included content information units (CIU density), content units per minute (CIU minutes), types‐tokens ratio, and filled pauses. We tested the moderation of CSL age related trajectories by baseline SMC. Linear mixed models included a random intercept, gender, reading ability, and practice effects as fixed covariates. Result: Sample characteristics are shown in Table 1 by SMC group. The persistent problem group had fewer years of education and lower WRAT reading scores than the no problems group, but were otherwise comparable. Baseline SMC did not moderate age‐related changes in CIU density, types‐tokens ratio or filled pauses. Baseline SMC moderated changes in CIU Minutes at trend level (Table 2 and Figure 2). Greater memory complaints at baseline were associated with faster age‐related decline in the contents unit/minute compared to those with fewer complaints. Conclusion: SMC modestly, prospectively related to difficulties expressing ideas. Self‐reported may precede subtle cognitive changes. Future work will examine whether SMC predicts declines in standard cognitive tests of verbal ability.