People who notice their memory is slipping may be on something, according to a recent study.

New research from scientists at the University of Kentucky's Sanderson Brown Center on Aging appears to confirm that self-reported memory complaints are strong predictors of clinical memory impairment later in life.

The study found that participants who reported changes in their memory were nearly three times more likely to develop memory and thinking problems. About one in six participants developed dementia during the study, and 80 percent of those first reported memory changes.

"What's notable about our study is the time it took for the transition from self-reported memory complaint to dementia or clinical impairment -- about 12 years for dementia and nine years for clinical impairment -- after the memory complaints began," Richard Kryscio, who led the study, said in a statement. "That suggests that there may be a significant window of opportunity for intervention before a diagnosable problem shows up."

For the study, Kryscio and his colleagues asked 531 people with an average age of 73 and free of dementia if they had noticed any changes in their memory in the prior year. The participants were also given annual memory and thinking tests for an average of 10 years. After death, participants' brains were examined for evidence of Alzheimer's disease.

During the study, 56 percent of the participants reported changes in their memory, at an average age of 82.

The findings add to a growing body of evidence that self-reported memory complaints can be predictive of cognitive impairment later in life, Kryscio said.

"Certainly, someone with memory issues should report it to their doctor so they can be followed. Unfortunately, however, we do not yet have preventative therapies for Alzheimer's disease or other illnesses that cause memory problems," he added.

The findings were published in the online issue of Neurology.