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Subjective memory decline predicts greater rates of clinical progression in preclinical Alzheimer's disease
Buckley RF, Maruff P, Ames D, Bourgeat P, Martins RN, Masters CL, Rainey-Smith S, Lautenschlager N et al.. Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association, 2016-02-04
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Introduction The objective of this study was to determine the utility of subjective memory decline (SMD) to predict episodic memory change and rates of clinical progression in cognitively normal older adults with evidence of high β-amyloid burden (CN Aβ+). Methods Fifty-eight CN Aβ+ participants from the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers, and Lifestyle study responded to an SMD questionnaire and underwent comprehensive neuropsychological assessments. Participant data for three follow-up assessments were analyzed. Results In CN Aβ+, subjects with high SMD did not exhibit significantly greater episodic memory decline than those with low SMD. High SMD was related to greater rates of progression to mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia (hazard ratio = 5.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.4-20.0, P = .02) compared with low SMD. High SMD was associated with greater depressive symptomatology and smaller left hippocampal volume. Discussion High SMD is a harbinger of greater rates of clinical progression in preclinical AD. Although SMD reflects broader diagnostic implications for CN Aβ+, more sensitive measures may be required to detect early subtle cognitive change.
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APA 7th
Buckley, R. F., Maruff, P., Ames, D., Bourgeat, P., Martins, R. N., Masters, C. L., et al. (2016). Subjective memory decline predicts greater rates of clinical progression in preclinical Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2015.12.013
Vancouver
Buckley RF, Maruff P, Ames D, Bourgeat P, Martins RN, Masters CL, et al. Subjective memory decline predicts greater rates of clinical progression in preclinical Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association. 2016. doi:10.1016/j.jalz.2015.12.013. PMID: 26852195.
BibTeX
@article{buckley2016-26852195,
author = {Buckley, R. F. and Maruff, P. and Ames, D. and Bourgeat, P. and Martins, R. N. and Masters, C. L. and Rainey-Smith, S. and Lautenschlager, N. and others},
title = {{Subjective memory decline predicts greater rates of clinical progression in preclinical Alzheimer's disease}},
journal = {Alzheimer's \& dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association},
year = {2016},
doi = {10.1016/j.jalz.2015.12.013},
pmid = {26852195},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2015.12.013}
}
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Key findings
- Results In CN Aβ+, subjects with high SMD did not exhibit significantly greater episodic memory decline than those with low SMD.
- High SMD was related to greater rates of progression to mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia (hazard ratio = 5.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.4-20.0, P = .02) compared with low SMD.
- High SMD was associated with greater depressive symptomatology and smaller left hippocampal volume.
Why it matters
In this study of 58 cognitively normal older adults with high amyloid burden, those with high subjective memory decline did not show significantly greater episodic memory decline, but they did progress to mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's dementia at higher rates. It suggests subjective memory decline may be an early warning sign, but it does not test a treatment or cure.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 48/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 46 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 48 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Alzheimer s & Dementia: journal h-index 228 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2016 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 199 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 16.6 citations a year over 12 year(s) since 2016 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 13.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 18 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 44 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | The University of Melbourne: institution h-index 1,342 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 12 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 26852195) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 46 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 46 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 48 out of 100. |
| Total | 48 / 100 | — |
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