Abstract
Amongst healthy cognitively normal elderly, subjective memory complaint is positively associated with sub-syndromal anxiety and depression. Late-life anxiety and cognition are related, such that anxiety is more prevalent in cognitively impaired elderly, elevated anxiety is related to poorer cognitive performance, and severity of anxiety symptoms predict future cognitive decline. While depressive symptoms alone are not related to cognitive deficits in the elderly, coexisting anxiety and depressive symptoms are associated with a poorer memory and slower processing speed. Objective assessment with a detailed history taking (including the individual’s baseline status) is essential to distinguish between neurocognitive disorder and normal cognition, delirium, major depressive disorder, specific learning disorder, and other neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Chin, Y., Choo, C.C., Doshi, K. (2019). A Case of Subjective Cognitive Complaints in Older Adults: Anxiety, Stress, and Aging in an Elderly Client. In: C Choo, C., C Ho, R. (eds) Clinical Psychology Casebook Across the Lifespan. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-7631-3_9
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