ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the group differences in contents of subjective memory problem and objective cognitive functions in late life depression and mild cognitive impairment. METHODS: 40 participants were classified into three groups [normal, amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and depression]. Differences in subjective memory complaints were examined using the Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire. And the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease-Korean version neuropsychological assessment battery results were used for evaluating objective cognitive functions. Group differences were analyzed ANCOVA analysis. RESULTS: In post-hoc analysis, the questions "Do you fail to recognize a character in a radio or television show from scene to scene?" and "Do you forget something that you told a few minute before?" were significantly able to discriminate between the MCI and normal groups. In post-hoc analysis, late life depression group showed significantly higher score on the question "Do you intend to take something with you, before leaving a room or going out, but minutes later leave it behind, even though it's there in front of you?". CONCLUSION: The result demonstrates the presence of differences in the contents of subjective memory complaints according to groups. Subjectively reported memory complaints in MCI group are related to deficits in learning new information. In late life depression, memory complaints are more related to difficulty in executive functions.