The roles of genetic risk and demographic factors on the association between subjective cognitive decline and objective cognitive performance

With a large proportion of Canadians becoming seniors, there is a need to accurately detect early signs of cognitive decline, which may be due to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. A common approach to screen for cognitive impairment is to ask an individual whether they perceive a decrease in their cognition over time. However, such subjective reports of cognitive decline (SCD) do not always reflect worsening cognition. We will investigate the complex relationship between subjective and objective cognitive abilities and other factors such as genetic risk factors that may influence these associations. Moreover, as the Canadian population is also becoming more ethnoculturally diverse, we will also examine the link between self-reported cognitive decline and objective cognitive performance among both white and racialized older adults. The results from this study will improve our understanding of the risk factors for subsequent cognitive decline.