Question
What is the MoCA?
Answer
The MoCA (Montreal Cognitive Assessment; Nasreddine, 2005) is a screening measure for memory. It is similar to the Mini-Mental State Examination (Folstein et al.,1975) however, it has quite a few additional areas of cognition that it tests. So, I find that it gives me more information. The other thing I like about it is the orientation questions are at the end. I find that when I give the Mini-Mental, the fact that you immediately ask them what the day and date are is very off putting. Many people give up on the Mini-Mental before they even get into it, because they cannot remember the day and date. On the MoCA, that is the last question, which is good.
Michelle S. Bourgeois, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, ASHA Fellow, is a Professor in the Department of Speech & Hearing Science, The Ohio State University. She has received numerous grants from the National Institutes of Aging (NIA) and the Alzheimer’s Association.
References:
Folstein MF, Folstein SE, McHugh PR (1975). ""Mini-mental state". A practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician". Journal of Psychiatric Research 12 (3): 189–98.
Nasreddine ZS, Phillips NA, Bédirian V, Charbonneau S, Whitehead V, Collin I, Cummings JL, Chertkow H (2005). “The Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA: a brief screening tool for mild cognitive impairment. J Am Geriatr Soc. 53(4): 695-9.
