Validation of the Chinese Version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment Basic for Screening Mild Cognitive Impairment

TLDR

The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of the Chinese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Basic (MoCA‑BC) as a screening tool for mild cognitive impairment in Chinese elderly adults. A cross‑sectional design recruited 264 MCI patients, 160 mild AD patients, and 280 cognitively normal controls from Huashan Hospital and Jinshan Community in Shanghai, with MoCA‑BC scores collected for analysis. MoCA‑BC demonstrated strong criterion validity (r = 0.787), good internal consistency (α = 0.807), and superior sensitivity and specificity to the MMSE across all education levels, with optimal cutoffs of 19, 22, and 24 for ≤6, 7–12, and >12 years of education, respectively, confirming its reliability as a screening test.

Abstract

Objectives To evaluate the effectiveness of the Chinese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Basic (Mo CA ‐ BC ) as a screening tool for detecting mild cognitive impairment ( MCI ) in Chinese elderly adults. Design Cross‐sectional. Setting Huashan Hospital, Shanghai, China. Participants Individuals with MCI (n = 264) and mild Alzheimer's disease ( AD ) (n = 160) were recruited from the Memory Clinic, Huashan Hospital; cognitively normal controls were recruited from Jinshan Community, Shanghai, China (n = 280). Measurements Mo CA ‐ BC scores. Results The Mo CA ‐ BC had good criterion‐related validity (Pearson correlation coefficient Mo CA ‐ BC vs MMSE = 0.787) and reliable internal consistency (Cronbach alpha = 0.807). The optimal cutoff scores for MCI screening were 19 for individuals with no more than 6 years of education, 22 for individuals with 7 to 12 years of education, and 24 for individuals with more than 12 years of education. The Mo CA ‐ BC was superior to the MMSE for detecting MCI , with optimal sensitivity and specificity across all education groups using the above cutoff scores. Conclusion The Mo CA ‐ BC is a reliable cognitive screening test across all education levels in Chinese elderly adults, with high acceptance and good reliability.