Construct Validity of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a brief instrument developed for the screening of milder forms of cognitive impairment. The present study aims to assess the construct related validity of the MoCA through the establishment of the factorial, convergent, and discriminant related validities, and the reliability of data. In a Portuguese sample of 830 participants, several models were tested using Confirmatory Factor Analysis. Although all tested models showed a good fit, the six-factor model based on the conceptual model proposed by the MoCA's authors showed a significantly better fit. The results allowed us to establish the factorial, convergent, and discriminant validity of this six-dimensional structure. An overall psychometric adequacy of the items, and a good reliability were also found. This study contributes to overcome an important gap in the construct related validity of this instrument. The present findings corroborate the six-dimensional structure of the MoCA and provide good evidence of the construct related validity. The MoCA has proved to be an appropriate measure for cognitive screening taking into account different cognitive domains, which will enable clinicians and researchers to use this test and its six latent dimensions to achieve a better understanding of the individuals' cognitive profile.     

Validity of the montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) as a screening test for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in a cardiovascular population

While rates of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are relatively high in populations with cardiovascular diseases and risk factors, screening tests for MCI have not been evaluated in this patient group. This study investigated the sensitivity and specificity of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) tool for detecting MCI in 110 patients (mean age 67.9 + 11.7 years; 60% female) recruited from hospital cardiovascular outpatient clinics. Mean MoCA performance was relatively low (22.8 + 3.8) in this group, with 72.1% of participants scoring below the recommended cutoff for cognitive impairment (<26). The presence of MCI was determined using the Neuropsychological Assessment Battery Screening Module (NAB-SM). Both amnestic MCI and multiple-domain MCI were identified. The optimum MoCA cutoff for detecting MCI in this group was <24. At this cutoff, the MoCA's sensitivity for detecting amnestic MCI was 100% and for multiple-domain MCI it was 83.3%. Specificity rates for amnestic MCI and multiple-domain MCI were 50.0% and 52% respectively. The poor specificity of the MoCA suggests that it will have limited value as a screening test for MCI in settings where the overall prevalence of MCI is low.     

The role of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and its memory tasks for detecting mild cognitive impairment

To investigate the role of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) (Beijing version) and its memory tasks on detecting different mild cognitive impairment (MCI) subtypes including amnestic MCI (aMCI) and nonamnestic MCI (naMCI) in memory clinics. A total of 121 patients with MCI and 53 healthy controls were included. Fifty-six aMCI-multiple domains (amMCI), 32 aMCI-single domain (asMCI), and 33 naMCI patients were diagnosed according to extensive cognitive tests. All participants were administered by the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the MoCA. Patients with amMCI performed worse than patients with asMCI, naMCI, and healthy controls on the MMSE and the MoCA (p <?0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) value for the MoCA when comparing the amMCI and control groups was 0.884 (p?<?0.001), which was superior to that of the MMSE. The AUC value decreased to 0.687 when applied to the naMCI and control groups (p?=?0.007), which was still higher than that of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) or the Rey-Osterrieth complex figure (ROCF). Delayed free recall or category prompted recall in the MoCA had roles in differentiating asMCI and controls groups with AUC value of 0.717 (p =?0.002) and 0.691 (p =?0.005), respectively. The MoCA is a good screening tool for detecting different types of MCI and is suitable for patients in outpatient clinics.     

Profiles of cognitive subtest impairment in the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in a research cohort with normal Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores

The comparative ability of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and MMSE to detect mild cognitive difficulties was investigated in 107 older adults. The sensitivity of the MoCA to detect cognitive impairment with a cutoff score of <26 was investigated, as compared to the MMSE across all scores, and at a cutoff of ≥27. Performance on MoCA subtests was compared at these MMSE cutoffs to determine profiles of early cognitive difficulties. The MoCA detected cognitive impairment not detected by the MMSE in a high proportion of participants, and this impairment was evident across various subtests. The MoCA appears to be a sensitive screening test for detection of early cognitive impairment.     

Clinical application of the Polish adaptation of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test in screening for cognitive impairment

Background and purposeThe Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test is a brief cognitive screening tool with high sensitivity and specificity for detecting mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of MoCA and compare it with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) in the early detection of cognitive decline in MCI.Material and methodsA group of 115 subjects (36 meeting DSM-IV criteria for Alzheimer disease (AD) [Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) = 1], 42 meeting Petersen's criteria for MCI [CDR = 0.5], and 37 cognitively intact controls [CDR = 0]) was recruited for the study in the university-based Alzheimer out-patient clinic. All participants underwent general medical, neurological, and psychiatric examinations. The MoCA, the MMSE, CDR and the short (15-item) version of the Geriatric Depression Scale were also applied.ResultsBoth MCI and AD groups exhibited impaired performance on MoCA compared to controls. Polish versions of the MMSE and MoCA tests were comparable in discriminating mild dementia from both MCI and control groups. The Polish version of the MoCA test performed marginally better than MMSE in discriminating MCI from controls. We propose to use the MoCA test to screen for MCI using an optimal cut-off score of 24 and to screen for dementia using a cut-off score of 19.ConclusionsThe Polish version of the MoCA seems effective in the detection of deteriorated cognitive performance and appropriate for differentiating impaired from preserved cognitive function in a Polish population.     

Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA): normative study for the Portuguese population

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a brief cognitive screening instrument with good psychometric features and an excellent sensitivity in the early detection of mild cognitive decline. The MoCA was applied to a community-based sample of cognitively healthy adults (n?=?650), stratified according to sociodemographic variables (age, gender, educational level, geographic region, geographic localization, and residence area), with a distribution similar to that observed in the Portuguese population. The normative data were determined according to age and education as these were the sociodemographic variables that most significantly contributed to the prediction of the MoCA scores, explaining 49% of their variance.     

Screening for cognitive sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection: a comparison between the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)

Neurological Sciences - Due to SARS-CoV-2-related encephalopathic features, COVID-19 patients may show cognitive sequelae that negatively affect functional outcomes. However, although cognitive...     

蒙特利尔认知评估量表识别首次卒中后轻度血管性认知障碍的作用

目的 探讨蒙特利尔认知评估量表(MoCA)识别首次卒中后轻度血管性认知障碍(mVCI-FS)的作用,并与简易智能精神状态量表(MMSE)比较. 方法 选取mVCI-FS患者60例.首次卒中后非血管性认知障碍(nVCI-FS)25例,于发病后(12+1)周由不知情的神经科医师进行MoCA及MMSE评估. 结果 MoCA总平均分为(19.78±4.573)分,MMSE为(25.48±3.148)分,偏相关分析间.r=9,P=0.000.MoCA除计算力和言语流畅性外,其余各项在mVCI-FS和nVCI-FS间差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05);MMSE的即刻记忆、计算力、命名和阅读理解在2组间差异无统计学意义(P>0.05).应用ROC曲线和Youden指数最大值初步确定MoCA识别mVCI-FS与nVCI-FS的最佳分界值为21分.以21分为分界值.MoCA筛查mVCI-FS的敏感度和特异度分别为84.6%和76.0%,明显优于MMSE(敏感度59.6%和特异度57.7%),差异有统计学意义(P<0.05). 结论 初步确定MoCA识别mVCI-FS与nVCI-FS的最佳分界值为21分.MoCA筛查mVCI-FS的敏感度和特异度均高,是一种有效的mVCI.FS筛查量表;MMSE对mVCI.FS的敏感度低,识别mVCI-FS的作用有限.     

Psychometric evaluation of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in three diverse samples

Our objective was to evaluate the utility of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in both non-clinical and clinical populations. The MoCA, a tool used widely in clinical geriatric practice to detect and quantify cognitive impairment, was administered to three diverse samples to assess the psychometric properties of the instrument. Participants were 482 healthy persons seen in the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study (CCLS), 1923 healthy volunteers evaluated by the Dallas Heart Study (DHS), a population-based sample of Dallas County residents and 69 persons with known or suspected brain pathology, seen for clinical evaluation. The standard deviations in the CCLS and DHS groups were small (2.81, 3.87) and moderate in the clinical group (5.22). The corresponding raw coefficients alpha were. 50,. 63, and. 75. Thus, variability and internal consistency were associated. MoCA scores generally did not correlate with gender and correlated with age only in the clinical group. However, there were moderately strong positive correlations between MoCA scores and education in all three samples. The reliability of the MoCA was extremely low in the two non-clinical groups, but was high in the clinical group. Although useful in large non-clinical studies, the MoCA is best suited to detect and quantify cognitive impairment in clinical patients.     

蒙特利尔认知评估量表不同版本的介绍

蒙特利尔认知评估量表（Montreal Cognitive Assessment,MoCA）是主要用于筛查轻度认知功能障碍（Mild Cognitive Impairment,MCI）的一种简便、快捷的筛查工具。与既往应用较为广泛的传统认知筛查量表——简易精神状态量表（Mini—Mental State Examination,MMSE）相比有灵敏度高、涵盖的认知领域比较全面等优点,     

蒙特利尔认知评价量表(中文版)在轻度认知损害诊断及进展过程中的作用

目的研究蒙特利尔认知评价量表(MoCA)中文版在轻度认知损害(MCI)诊断筛查中的作用,评价认知功能在疾病进展过程中的临床意义。方法对年龄、性别、文化程度构成无统计学差异的两组受试者(正常对照组29例、MCI组28例)进行MoCA和简易智能状态检查量表(MMSE)测试,以其总成绩及各单项成绩作为基线成绩,观察MoCA和MMSE在筛查MCI中的作用,并比较两种量表对筛查轻度认知损害的敏感性、特异性的差异。于初次筛查后12个月对两组受试者进行再次测试,并与基线成绩进行配对t检验,比较前后测试成绩间的差异及各单项成绩对预测疾病进展的作用。结果 MoCA和MMSE对鉴别正常老龄化和轻度认知损害均具有初步筛查作用,MoCA量表中的视空间执行功能(t=2.151,P=0.036)、抽象(t=2.787,P=0.009)、定向(t=3.162,P=0.003)、记忆(t=4.704,P=0.000)等单项测试成绩,两组间差异具有统计学意义;以26分为分界值,MoCA和MMSE诊断MCI的敏感度分别为89.29%和10.71%,特异度为82.76%和100%,MoCA诊断敏感性显著高于MMSE。MCI组患者在12个月后的随访测试中各项成绩均略有下降,其中MoCA总成绩(t=6.454,P=0.000)、视空间执行功能(t=5.610,P=0.000)、语言(t=4.954,P=0.000)测试成绩,复查前后差异有统计学意义。结论 MoCA对轻度认知损害的诊断敏感性高于MMSE,其中视空间执行功能、抽象、定向、记忆各单项测试成绩具有诊断价值;MoCA总评分、视空间执行功能、语言等项成绩复查后降低,对轻度认知损害向阿尔茨海默病转化具有提示作用。     

Utility of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and its subset in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) screening

ObjectivesThe Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a useful screening tool for mild cognitive impairment. We aimed to know whether the full MoCA and subsets of the full test are effective for detecting HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND).MethodsWe examined the socio-demographic, clinical, functional, and neuropsychological levels of 194 HIV-infected patients. We compared total scores and scores from each cognitive domain of MoCA between patients with and without HAND. We also examined the utility of subsets of the full test using a few selective domains. The diagnostic accuracies of MoCA and subset composition were evaluated.ResultsThe total scores of MoCA (P < 0.001) and scores from Trail Making Test-B (P = 0.020), attention domain (P = 0.005), and immediate (P = 0.003) and delayed recall (P = 0.002) differed between patients with and without HAND. A subset composed of Trail Making Test-B, rescored serial subtraction, and immediate/delayed recall showed a 69.2% accuracy.ConclusionsOur results suggest that the MoCA and its subsets alone are not sufficient in screening for HAND. Further studies will be needed to develop a simpler and easier screening tool for HAND based on this study.     

Psychometric properties of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in healthy participants aged 18–70

Abstract

Objectives: The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a cognitive screen, available in three alternate versions. Aims of the current study were to examine the effects of age, education and intelligence on MoCA performance and to determine the alternate-form equivalence and test–retest reliability of the MoCA, in a group of healthy participants.

Method: In 210 participants, two MoCA versions and an estimator for premorbid intelligence were administered at two time points.

Results: Age, education and estimated premorbid intelligence correlated significantly with the total score (MoCA-TS) and the Memory Index Score (MoCA-MIS). Systematic differences between MoCA version 7.1 and alternate versions 7.2 and 7.3 were only found for the items animal naming, abstract reasoning and sentence repetition. Test–retest reliability of the MoCA-TS was good between 7.1 and 7.2 (ICC: 0.64) and excellent between 7.1 and 7.3 (ICC: 0.82). For the MoCA-MIS, coefficients were poor (ICC: 0.32) to fair (ICC: 0.48), respectively.

Conclusion: Adequate norms are needed that take the effects of age, education and intelligence on MoCA performance into account. All three MoCA versions are largely equivalent based on MoCA-TS and the test–retest reliabilities show that this score is suitable to monitor cognitive change over time. Comparisons of the domain-specific scores should be interpreted with caution.

• Key points

• The MoCA total score is a reliable cognitive measure.

• All three MoCA versions are largely equivalent.

• Age, education and intelligence are predictors of MoCA performance in healthy participants.

• Future studies should focus on collecting normative data for age, education and intelligence for use in clinical practice.

     

蒙特利尔认知评估量表在血管性认知功能障碍中的应用

目的 探讨蒙特利尔认知评估(MoCA)量表(中文版)在血管性认知功能障碍(VCI)中的应用.方法 选择166例具有脑血管病危险因素或脑血管疾病患者,根据VCI诊断标准分为无认知功能障碍(NCI)组(52例)、无痴呆的血管性认知功能障碍(VCIND)组(76例)及血管性痴呆(VD)组(38例),分别给予MoCA量表和简易精神状态检查(MMSE)量表测试.结果 将认知功能障碍MoCA分界值定为26分时,VCIND组MoCA的敏感性为90.79%,MMSE为26.31%;VD组MoCA的敏感性为100%,MMSE为86.84%;MoCA和MMSE特异性分别为84.62%和100%.结论 与MMSE量表相比,MoCA量表更适用于VCI的筛查.