Understanding Moca Testing Scores: A Descriptive Correlational Study

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test has become a widely used tool for evaluating general cognitive status, particularly in public health contexts. However, its performance can vary across different populations and age groups. In this study, we conducted a descriptive correlational validation of the MoCA test among 526 healthy individuals from the north, center, and south of Chile.

Background

The rising population ageing poses a significant challenge for countries in preventing and detecting neurodegenerative disorders. The MoCA test is a brief, simple, valid, and reliable screening tool that can be used to identify cognitive impairments. However, its performance may be influenced by factors such as age, education level, and sex.

Methodology

Our study included 526 healthy individuals of both sexes, aged between 18 and 90 years. We analyzed the effects of age, education level, and sex on MoCA performance using a descriptive correlational design. The results showed that older adults with less formal education presented poorer results and lower cognitive performance.

Results

The mean (standard deviation) score for the total sample was 24.04 (3.22), which is below the normal range of 26-30 points originally defined for the instrument. Our analysis revealed that age, education level, and sex accounted for 1%-7% of variance in MoCA scores.

Discussion

Our findings suggest that age and education level have a significant impact on general cognitive performance as determined by MoCA score. The results highlight the importance of normalizing and standardizing the MoCA test for different populations.

This study aims to provide normative data for the MoCA test in the Chilean population, along with proposed cut-off points for different age ranges to discriminate normal cognitive performance from neurocognitive disorders. By adjusting for education level, we can better understand the effects of aging on cognitive performance and develop more accurate diagnostic tools.

Recommendations

We propose a protocol for evaluating results by percentiles and scores for different age ranges, as well as an individual normalized scalar score. This approach can help reduce false positives and provide a more precise assessment of cognitive impairment. By normalizing and standardizing the MoCA test, we can improve its performance in public health contexts.

Moca testing scores