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any idea on how to get this test? ----- Original Message ----- From: "schild.m" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2008 2:13 AM Subject: Montreal Cognitive Assessment More Sensitive to Cognitive Deficits > Montreal Cognitive Assessment More Sensitive to Cognitive Deficits Than > Mini-Mental Status Examination for Parkinson's Disease: Presented at ANA > By Andrew N. Wilner, MD > > SALT LAKE CITY, Utah -- September 24, 2008 -- The Montreal Cognitive > Assessment (MoCA) is more sensitive to subtle cognitive deficits in > patients > with Parkinson's disease compared with the conventional Mini-Mental Status > Examination (MMSE), according to a comparative study presented here at the > American Neurological Association (ANA) 133rd Annual Meeting. > > The MMSE is the most commonly used screening instrument to detect > cognitive > dysfunction in Parkinson's disease, according to lead author Stephanie > Lessig, MD, University of California, San Diego Medical Center, San Diego, > California. > > While it has the advantage of brevity, taking only 7 to 8 minutes to > administer, the sensitivity of the MMSE to early cognitive impairment has > been questioned. More complete neuropsychological testing requires several > hours. > > The MoCA, a relatively new cognitive screening test takes 10 to 12 minutes > to > administer. Both tests are scored from 0 to 30, with lower scores > representing cognitive dysfunction. > > In their study, Dr. Lessig and colleagues administered the MMSE and the > MoCA > to 61 patients with Parkinson's disease and 68 age-matched controls. All > patients had approximately 15 years of education. > > Parkinson's patients were divided into those who scored >=28 or greater on > the MMSE (n = 39, mean age 69.1) and those who scored <28 (n = 22, mean > age > 72.2). > > Results show that patients with Parkinson's disease scored lower on the > MoCA > and had a greater range in their scores compared with their results on the > MMSE. For example, Parkinson's patients who scored <28 on the MMSE lost > 20% > of possible points for memory. However, on the MoCA, the same group lost > more > than 60% of possible points for memory. > > The MoCA was also more sensitive than the MMSE in detecting cognitive > impairment in the group with MMSE scores >=28. This group lost less than > 20% > of points for memory on the MMSE, but more than 50% of points for memory > on > the MoCA. In addition, patients with MMSE scores showing normal cognitive > function did not always have MoCA scores showing normal cognitive > function. > > One explanation for the MoCA's greater sensitivity for cognitive > dysfunction > in Parkinson's disease is its specific executive function > tests -- "Trails," "Fluency," "Abstraction," "Target," and "Digit Span." > The > MMSE does not contain similar tests. > > "We now use the MoCA in our research and clinic because it is more > sensitive > than the MMSE to early cognitive deficits in Parkinson's disease," Dr. > Lessig > concluded. > > > [Presentation title: Examination of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment > (MoCA) > and MMSE in Parkinson's disease (PD). Abstract T-82] > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn