Noticing memory lapses ‘a predictor or clinical memory impairment’

People who believe their memory may be slipping are more likely to have genuine diagnosable memory problems later in life.

This is according to a new study from the University of Kentucky's Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, which asked 531 dementia-free patients with an average age of 73 if they had noticed any changes in their memory in the prior year.

It was found that 56 percent of participants reported changes in their memory, with these patients being nearly three times more likely to develop memory and thinking problems.

In total, one in six participants developed dementia during the study, 80 percent of whom had noticed changes in their memory performance. It took around a decade or more for the transition from self-reported memory complaints to dementia or clinical impairments to occur.

Dr Richard Kryscio, chairman of the department of of biostatistics and associate director of the Alzheimer's Disease Center at the University of Kentucky, said: "Someone with memory issues should report it to their doctor so they can be followed."

Dementia is a growing problem in the UK that is expected to become increasingly costly for the NHS as the average age of the population increases.