The montreal cognitive assessment as a screening tool for cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease

Abstract

Cognitive impairment is common in Parkinson's disease (PD) and can occur early in the disease course. No effective screening test exists for detection of early or mild cognitive impairment in PD. We examined the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) as a screening tool for cognitive dysfunction in PD. The test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.79 and the interrater intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.81. The correlation coefficient between the MoCA and a neuropsychologic battery was 0.72. The MoCA is reliable and valid in the PD population and warrants further study as a screening tool for cognitive dysfunction.