MoCA
Pronunciation: MOH-kah
Also written as: MoCA — Montreal Cognitive Assessment
Montreal Cognitive Assessment, a brief screening tool for detecting mild cognitive impairment and dementia.
Full Definition
The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a widely used cognitive screening instrument designed to detect mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early dementia. Developed by Dr. Ziad Nasreddine, it assesses multiple cognitive domains including visuospatial abilities, executive functions, attention, language, abstraction, delayed recall, and orientation. The MoCA is scored out of 30 points, with scores below 26 typically indicating cognitive impairment. It is more sensitive than the MMSE for detecting MCI.
Usage
Usage note: Always capitalize as an acronym; avoid lowercase 'moca'.
In Context
- "The patient scored 22/30 on the MoCA, suggesting possible mild cognitive impairment." — Neuropsychological evaluation
- "Annual MoCA testing is recommended for patients with subjective cognitive complaints." — Clinical protocol