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BMC Psychiatry
Published in: BMC Psychiatry 1/2020

01-12-2020 | Dementia | Research article

Repetitive negative thinking is associated with subjective cognitive decline in older adults: a cross-sectional study

Authors: Marco Schlosser, Harriet Demnitz-King, Tim Whitfield, Miranka Wirth, Natalie L. Marchant

Published in: BMC Psychiatry | Issue 1/2020

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Abstract

Background

In the absence of a cure or effective treatment for dementia, attention has shifted towards identifying risk factors for prevention. Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD) describes self-perceived worsening of cognition despite unimpaired performance on neuropsychological tests. SCD has been associated with an increased dementia risk and steeper memory decline. Repetitive negative thinking (RNT) is a transdiagnostic process that manifests across several mental health disorders associated with increased vulnerability to dementia. RNT has thus been proposed as a candidate marker of risk for dementia and, relatedly, could contribute to the manifestation of SCD. We aimed to investigate the relationship between SCD and RNT alongside other proposed psychological risk/protective factors for dementia and cognitive decline.

Methods

In a cross-sectional online survey, 491 older adults (mean = 64.9 years, SD = 4.2; 63.1% female) completed measures of RNT, personality traits, purpose in life, worry, rumination, and meditation practice. SCD was assessed continuously via self-perceived cognitive function (Neuro-QoL) and categorically via endorsement (yes/no) of memory complaints. Regression models, using a stepwise backwards elimination, were built to assess associations between SCD, demographics, and all risk/protective factors.

Results

A total of 24.2% of participants reported memory complaints. In the final prediction models, RNT was the only psychological variable associated with lower self-perceived cognitive function and with a higher likelihood of memory complaints.

Conclusions

This study empirically corroborates the theoretical relationship between SCD and RNT. Longitudinal studies are needed to establish whether RNT is a prodromal symptom or an independent risk factor, and whether RNT can be a promising construct for future research on SCD and dementia risk.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Repetitive negative thinking is associated with subjective cognitive decline in older adults: a cross-sectional study
Authors
Marco Schlosser
Harriet Demnitz-King
Tim Whitfield
Miranka Wirth
Natalie L. Marchant
Publication date
01-12-2020
Publisher
BioMed Central
Keywords
Dementia
Dementia
Published in
BMC Psychiatry / Issue 1/2020
Electronic ISSN: 1471-244X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02884-7

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