AUTHOR COPY Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease 27 (2011) 491–498 DOI 10.3233/JAD-2011-110494 IOS Press 491 Self-Perceived Memory Complaints Predict Progression to Alzheimer Disease. The LADIS Study Ana Verdelho a,∗ , Sofia Madureira a , Carla Moleiro b , Catarina O. Santos a , Jos´ e M. Ferro a , Timo Erkinjuntti c , Anna Poggesi d , Leonardo Pantoni d , Franz Fazekas e , Philip Scheltens f , Gunhild Waldemar g , Anders Wallin h , Domenico Inzitari d and on behalf of the LADIS Study 1 a Neurosciences Department, Lisbon University, Santa Maria Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal b Lisbon University Institute - ISCTE, Psychology Department, Lisbon, Portugal c Memory Research Unit, Clinical Neurosciences Department, Helsinki University, Helsinki, Finland d Department of Neurological and Psychiatric Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy e Neurology and MRI Institute Department, Karl Franzens University Graz, Graz, Austria f Neurology Department, VU Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands g Memory Disorders Research Unit, Department Neurology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark h Clinical Neuroscience Institute, G¨ oteborg University, G¨ oteborg, Sweden Accepted 5 July 2011 Abstract. Memory complaints are frequent in the elderly but its implications in cognition over time remain a controversial issue. Our objective was to evaluate the risk of self perceived memory complaints in the evolution for future dementia. The LADIS (Leukoaraiosis and Disability) prospective multinational European study evaluates the impact of white matter changes 1 Participating centers and personnel in the LADIS study: Helsinki, Finland (Memory Research Unit, Department of Clin- ical Neurosciences, Helsinki University): Timo Erkinjuntti, Tarja Pohjasvaara, Pia Pihanen, Raija Ylikoski, Hanna Jokinen, Meija- Marjut Somerkoski, Riitta M¨ antyl¨ a, Oili Salonen; Graz, Austria (Department of Neurology and Department of Radiology, Divi- sion of Neuroradiology, Medical University Graz): Franz Fazekas, Reinhold Schmidt, Stefan Ropele, Brigitte Rous, Katja Petrovic, Ulrike Garmehi, Alexandra Seewann; Lisboa, Portugal (Depart- ment of Neurosciencies, University of Lisbon, Hospital Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal): Jos´ e M. Ferro, Ana Verdelho, Sofia Madureira, Carla Moleiro; Amsterdam, The Netherlands (Depart- ment of Radiology and Neurology, VU Medical Center): Philip Scheltens, Ilse van Straaten, Frederik Barkhof, Alida Gouw, Wiesje van der Flier; Goteborg, Sweden (Institute of Clinical Neuro- science, Goteborg University): Anders Wallin, Michael Jonsson, Karin Lind, Arto Nordlund, Sindre Rolstad, Ingela Isblad; Hud- dinge, Sweden (Karolinska Institute, Neurotec Department, sektion of Clinical Geriatrics): Lars-Olof Wahlund, Milita Crisby, Anna Pet- tersson, Kaarina Amberla; Paris, France (Department of Neurology, Hopital Lariboisiere): Hugues Chabriat, Karen Hernandez, Annie Kurtz, Dominique Herv´ e, Sarah Benisty, Jean Pierre Guichard; Mannheim, Germany (Department of Neurology, University of Heidelberg, Klinikum Mannheim): Michael Hennerici, Christian Blahak, Hansj¨ org Baezner, Martin Wiarda, Susanne Seip; Copen- hagen, Denmark (Memory Disorders Research Group, Department of Neurology, Rigshospitalet, and the Danish Research Center for Magnetic Resonance, Hvidovre Hospital, Copenhagen University Hospitals): Gunhild Waldemar, Egill Rostrup, Charlotte Ryberg, Tim Dyrby, Olaf B. Paulson, Ellen Garde; Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK (Institute for Ageing and Health, University of Newcastle): John O’Brien, Sanjeet Pakrasi, Mani Krishnan, Andrew Teodor- czuk, Michael Firbank, Philip English, Thais Minett. Coordinating Center, Florence, Italy (Department of Neurological and Psychiatric Sciences, University of Florence): Domenico Inzitari (Study Coor- dinator), Luciano Bartolini, Anna Maria Basile, Eliana Magnani, Monica Martini, Mario Mascalchi, Marco Moretti, Leonardo Pan- toni, Anna Poggesi, Giovanni Pracucci, Emilia Salvadori, Michela Simoni. LADIS Steering Committee: Domenico Inzitari (study coor- dinator), Timo Erkinjuntti, Philip Scheltens, Marieke Visser, Peter Langhorne (who replaced Kjell Asplund in 2005). ∗ Correspondence to: Ana Verdelho, Neurosciences Department, Lisbon University, Santa Maria Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal. Tel./Fax: +00351217957474; E-mail: averdelho@fm.ul.pt. ISSN 1387-2877/11/$27.50 © 2011 – IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved