Subjective cognitive impairment, long held as an unreliable indicator because it is based on an individual's self assessment, has now been shown to be a reliable predictor of subsequent decline in objectively measured cognitive function. Further, these results suggest that objective measures of cognition are not sufficiently sensitive to detect the earliest indicators of cognitive decline. This is particularly relevant, given that 60 percent of the study cohort were female, and women have the greatest lifetime risk of developing Alzheimer disease. Results of this study by Reisberg and colleagues suggest that individuals with subjective cognitive impairment are an important target population for further study.

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