Abstract

RUIZ-SANCHEZ DE LEON, José M.; PEDRERO-PEREZ, Eduardo J.  and  LOZOYA-DELGADO, Paz. Neuropsychological characterization of memory complaints in the general population: relationship to prefrontal symptoms and perceived stress. Anal. Psicol. [online]. 2014, vol.30, n.2, pp.676-683. ISSN 1695-2294.  https://dx.doi.org/10.6018/analesps.30.2.147381.

In recent years, the presence of cognitive complaints in young adults has been related with attentional and executive deficit profiles, although not pathognomonic, which seem to justify the occurrence of every day errors. This study aims to analyze whether the occurrence of such complaints and their magnitude are associated with a slightly dysexecutive and inattentive neuropsychological profile. On the other hand, we study whether these complaints are also related to increases in perceived stress, so that such increases could function as triggers of complaints. A neuropsychological battery and Memory Failures Everyday, Dysexecutive Questionnaire and Perceived Stress Scale were administered to a sample of 99 nonclinical participants. The results suggest that individuals in the general population who have cognitive complaints show, first, lower attentional, mnemonic and executive ratings and, second, increased prefrontal-type symptoms. It is suggested that this cognitive profile makes them more prone to increase these deficits due to increases in perceived stress, which are perceived as memory impairment without strictly being it.

Keywords : Memory complaints; memory; metamemory; attention; executive functions; dysexecutive syndrome; perceived stress; coping.

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