This study explored the utility of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in the detection of cognitive change over time in a community sample (age ranging from 58 to 77 years). The MoCA was administered twice approximately 3.5 years apart ( n = 139). Participants were classified as mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or cognitively intact at follow-up based on multidisciplinary consensus. ⋯ When accounting for age and education, the MCI group showed a decline of 1.7 points, while cognitively intact participants remained stable. Using Reliable Change Indices established by cognitively intact group, 42% of MCI participants demonstrated a decline in MoCA scores. Results suggest that the MoCA can detect cognitive change in MCI over a 3.5-year period and preliminarily supports the utility of the MoCA as a repeatable brief cognitive screening measure.
Kamini Krishnan, Heidi Rossetti, Linda S Hynan, Kirstine Carter, Jed Falkowski, Laura Lacritz, C Munro Cullum, and Myron Weiner.
1 The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, TX, USA.
Assessment. 2017 Sep 1; 24 (6): 772-777.
AbstractThis study explored the utility of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in the detection of cognitive change over time in a community sample (age ranging from 58 to 77 years). The MoCA was administered twice approximately 3.5 years apart ( n = 139). Participants were classified as mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or cognitively intact at follow-up based on multidisciplinary consensus. We excluded 33 participants who endorsed cognitive complaints at baseline. The MCI group ( n = 53) showed a significant decrease in MoCA scores ( M = -1.83, p < .001, d = 0.64). When accounting for age and education, the MCI group showed a decline of 1.7 points, while cognitively intact participants remained stable. Using Reliable Change Indices established by cognitively intact group, 42% of MCI participants demonstrated a decline in MoCA scores. Results suggest that the MoCA can detect cognitive change in MCI over a 3.5-year period and preliminarily supports the utility of the MoCA as a repeatable brief cognitive screening measure.