The fear of Alzheimer’s disease: mediating effects of anxiety on subjective memory complaints

Abstract

Objectives: To determine if the fear of developing Alzheimer’s disease (FDAD) construct, in combination with similar psychoemotional factors, could help elucidate the nature of older adults’ subjective memory complaints (SMCs) and subsequent objective memory performance.

Methods: One hundred ninety-three healthy older adults (aged 65–93) were administered clinician and self-report measures of depression, worry, anxiety, illness attitudes, and memory, and each rated their concern with developing AD.

Results: Self-reported FDAD was not associated with objective memory performance (p > .05). FDAD, trait anxiety, general anxiety, and general and illness-related worry were independently associated with subjective memory report (ps < .05). The relationship between FDAD and subjective memory report was mediated by measures of general trait and state anxiety, but not general worry or illness-specific worry.

Conclusions: FDAD was not associated with objective memory functioning, suggesting AD concerns were not reflective of memory pathology. The mediating effect of anxiety on the relationship between FDAD and subjective memory report suggests that assessment of anxiety, beyond AD fear, may help identify older adults at risk for developing negative perceptions of memory and related distress.

Keywords:

• Anticipatory dementia
• fear of developing Alzheimer’s disease
• anxiety
• depression
• subjective memory complaints

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health [R21 MH069704 to J.E.C & J.L.W.].