Is Subjective Memory Loss Correlated with MMSE Scores or Dementia?

Abstract

Objectives: (1) to determine if subjective memory loss (SML) is associated with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, (2) to determine if this association persists after adjustment for other factors, and (3) to determine the sensitivity and specificity of SML for dementia. Population: 1751 seniors sampled from a population registry. Measures: age, sex, education, SML, the MMSE, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale. Dementia was diagnosed by clinical examination. Analysis: linear regression models were constructed. The sensitivity and specificity of SML were determined with a diagnosis of dementia being the gold standard. Results: SML was correlated with MMSE scores, even after adjusting for age, sex, education, and depressive symptoms. The sensitivity of SML was 0.58 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.45, 0.71), and the specificity was 0.76 (95% CI: 0.74, 0.78) for dementia. Conclusions: SML is correlated with MMSE score. However, SML is neither sensitive nor specific for dementia. ( J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 2003; 16:80-83)