Memory complaints in the elderly: a study of 367 community-dwelling individuals from 50 to 80 years old.

State of memory was evaluated by a Memory Clinic in 367 community-dwelling patients aged from 50 to 80. They performed an exhaustive subjective evaluation including: severity of memory complaint, social status, activity scale, subjective Memory score, Zung's anxiety and depression scales and Well Being Questionnaire. Objective memory performance was evaluated by a complete memory scanning leading to a Global Objective Memory Score. No relationship was found between severity of memory complaints and age, sex, educational level, marital status, living alone or in family, and memory tests performance. More severe complaints were reported in people with poor social network, negative stereotypes on aging, and poor affective status. A strong correlation was found between severity of memory complaints and scores in self-reporting depression questionnaire, even in people with low depression scores.