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The Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA: A Brief Screening Tool For Mild Cognitive Impairment
Author(s) -
Nasreddine Ziad S.,
Phillips Natalie A.,
Bédirian Valérie,
Charbonneau Simon,
Whitehead Victor,
Collin Isabelle,
Cummings Jeffrey L.,
Chertkow Howard
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2005.53221.x
Subject(s) - montreal cognitive assessment , medicine , dementia , cognitive impairment , cognition , mini–mental state examination , gerontology , physical therapy , disease , psychiatry
Objectives: To develop a 10‐minute cognitive screening tool (Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA) to assist first‐line physicians in detection of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a clinical state that often progresses to dementia. Design: Validation study. Setting: A community clinic and an academic center. Participants: Ninety‐four patients meeting MCI clinical criteria supported by psychometric measures, 93 patients with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) (Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) score≥17), and 90 healthy elderly controls (NC). Measurements: The MoCA and MMSE were administered to all participants, and sensitivity and specificity of both measures were assessed for detection of MCI and mild AD. Results: Using a cutoff score 26, the MMSE had a sensitivity of 18% to detect MCI, whereas the MoCA detected 90% of MCI subjects. In the mild AD group, the MMSE had a sensitivity of 78%, whereas the MoCA detected 100%. Specificity was excellent for both MMSE and MoCA (100% and 87%, respectively). Conclusion: MCI as an entity is evolving and somewhat controversial. The MoCA is a brief cognitive screening tool with high sensitivity and specificity for detecting MCI as currently conceptualized in patients performing in the normal range on the MMSE.