Understanding Moca Cognitive Test Cutoff Scores for Detecting Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia in Chinese Populations

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a widely used tool to assess cognitive function in individuals with suspected mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia. However, cutoff scores for the MoCA-P, which is the Peking Medical Union College Hospital version of the test, can vary depending on age and education level. In this article, we will discuss the importance of understanding Moca cognitive test cutoff scores for detecting MCI and dementia in Chinese populations.

The MoCA-P has been widely used in China to assess cognitive function in individuals with suspected MCI or dementia. However, there is a lack of population-based data on the performance of the test in individuals aged 80 years and older. This limitation can make it challenging to accurately diagnose MCI and dementia in this age group.

A recent study published in aimed to address this issue by providing cutoff scores for detecting MCI and dementia using the MoCA-P in a sample of Chinese veterans aged ≥60 years. The study found that adding two points to the MoCA scores for primary school groups and one point to the MoCA scores for middle school groups can fully adjust for the impact of education on cognitive function. However, the effect of age could not be compensated by adjusting for education.

The study also found that the prevalence of MCI was 31.04% and dementia was 13.22% in the sample of Chinese veterans aged ≥60 years. The results suggest that the MoCA-P is a useful tool for detecting MCI and dementia in this age group, but further research is needed to confirm these findings.

In conclusion, understanding Moca cognitive test cutoff scores is essential for accurately diagnosing MCI and dementia in Chinese populations. The study provides valuable information on the performance of the MoCA-P in individuals aged ≥60 years, which can inform clinical practice and guide future research. However, further studies are needed to confirm these findings and develop more accurate cutoff scores for different age groups.