Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-fbnjt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T08:24:07.907Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A Prevalence Study of Age-Associated Memory Impairment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Andrew Barker ,
Roy Jones  and
Chris Jennison
Andrew Barker*
Affiliation:
Research Institute for the Care of the Elderly (RICE), St Martin's Hospital, Bath BA2 5RP
Roy Jones
Affiliation:
RICE
Chris Jennison
Affiliation:
School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY
*
Dr Andrew Barker, Rural Mental Health Research, The Old Manor Hospital, Wilton Road, Salisbury SP2 7EP
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background

Age-associated memory impairment (AAMI) describes a non-disease ageing-related decline in memory. Pharmacological treatment trials have been reported and DSM–IV has introduced a term for the disorder. No prevalence study with the original criteria has previously been published.

Method

An age-stratified sample was taken of 50–95-year-olds registered with a local health centre. Diagnosis of AAMI was made by questionnaire, cognitive testing, and medical and psychiatric assessment.

Results

Prevalence rates for the total population and for the over-50s were estimated to be 5.8% and 18.5%, respectively. These rates are dramatically affected by minor alterations to individual criteria.

Conclusions

It appears AAMI is less common than previous estimates suggested, although the diagnostic criteria do not satisfactorily define people with an age-related decline in memory. Complaint of memory decline is more strongly correlated with measures of affect and personality than with measures of current memory test performance or estimates of memory decline.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 167 , Issue 5 , November 1995 , pp. 642 - 648
Copyright
Copyright © 1995 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

American Psychiatric Association (1987) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd edn, revised) (DSM–III–R). Washington, DC: APA.Google Scholar
American Psychiatric Association (1994) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th edn) (DSM–IV). Washington, DC: APA.Google Scholar
Bamford, K. A. & Caine, E. D. (1988) Does ‘benign senescent forgetfulness’ exist? Clinics in Geriatric Medicine, 4, 897–916.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Barker, A. & Jones, R. (1993) Age-associated memory impairment: diagnostic and treatment issues. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 8, 305–310.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barker, A., Prior, J. & Jones, R. (1995) Memory complaint in attenders at a self-referral memory clinic: the role of cognitive factors, affective symptoms and personality. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, in press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Benton, A. L. (1963) The Revised Visual Retention Test: Clinical and Experimental Applications. New York: Psychological Corporation.Google Scholar
Blackford, R. C. & La Rue, A. (1989) Criterion for diagnosing age associated memory impairment: proposed improvements from the field. Developmental Neuropsychology, 5, 298–300.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bolla, K. I., Lindgren, K. N., Bonaccorsy, C., et al (1991) Memory complaints in older adults. Fact or fiction? Archives of Neurology, 48, 61–64.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Crawford, J. R., Parker, D. M. & Besson, J. A. (1988) Estimation of premorbid intelligence in organic conditions. British Journal of Psychiatry, 153, 178–181.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Crook, T. H. (1989) Diagnosis and treatment of normal and pathologic memory impairment in later life. Seminars in Neurology, 9, 20–30.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Crook, T. H. & Lakin, M. (1991) Effects of ondansetron in age-associated memory impairment. Biological Psychiatry, 2, 888–890.Google Scholar
Crook, T. H., Bartus, R. T., Ferris, S. H., et al (1986) Age-associated memory impairment: proposed diagnostic criteria and measures of clinical change – report of a National Institute of Mental Health Work Group. Developmental Neuropsychology, 2, 261–276.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Crook, T. H., Tinklenberg, J., Yesavage, J., et al (1991) Effects of phosphatidylserine in age-associated memory impairment. Neurology, 41, 644–649.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Derouesne, C., Kalafat, M., Guez, D., et al (1994) The age-associated memory impairment construct revisited: comments and recommendations of a French speaking workgroup. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 9, 577–587.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Folstein, M. F., Folstein, S. E. & McHugh, P. R. (1975) ‘Mini-Mental State’. A practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 12, 189–198.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hamilton, M. (1967) Development of a rating scale for primary depressive illness. British Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 6, 278–296.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lane, F. & Snowdon, J. (1989) Memory and dementia: a longitudinal survey of suburban elderly. In Clinical and Abnormal Psychology (eds Lovibond, P. & Wilson, P.), pp. 365–376. Amsterdam: Elsevier.Google Scholar
Larrabee, G. J., McEntee, W. J. & Crook, T. H. (1992) Age-associated memory impairment. In Cognitive Disorders: Pathophysiology and Treatment (eds Thal, L. J., Moos, W. H. & Gamzu, E. R.), pp. 291–306. New York: Marcel Dekker.Google Scholar
McEntee, W. J., Crook, T. H., Jenkyn, L. R., et al (1991) Treatment of age-associated memory impairment with guanfacine. Psychopharmacology Bulletin, 27, 41–46.Google ScholarPubMed
Nelson, H. E. (1982) National Adult Reading Test (NART). Berkshire: NFER-Nelson.Google Scholar
O'Brien, J. & Levy, R. (1992) Age associated memory impairment: too broad an entity to justify drug treatment yet. British Medical Journal, 304, 5–6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (1993) Key Population and Vital Statistics: Local and Health Authority Areas, Series VS no. 18, PP1 no. 14. London: HMSO.Google Scholar
Rosen, W., Terry, R. D., Fuld, P. A., et al (1980) Pathological verification of ischaemia score in differentiation of dementias. Annals of Neurology, 7, 486–488.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Smith, G., Ivnik, R. J., Petersen, R. C., et al (1991) Age-associated memory impairment diagnoses: problems of reliability and concerns for terminology. Psychology and Aging, 6, 551–558.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Spielberger, C. D., Gorsuch, R. L., Lushene, R., et al (1983) State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Form Y), Manual. Palo Alto: Consulting Psychologists Press.Google Scholar
Wechsler, D. (1955) Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Manual. New York: Psychological Corporation.Google Scholar
Wechsler, D. & Stone, C. P. (1983) Manual: Wechsler Memory Scale. New York: Psychological Corporation.Google Scholar
Yesavage, J. A. & Brink, T. L. (1983) Development and validation of a geriatric depression screening scale: a preliminary report. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 17, 37–49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.