Questionnaire
MoCA
Montreal Cognitive Assessment
A 10-minute screening tool for mild cognitive impairment — more sensitive than MMSE in early disease.
What it measures
Cognitive function across eight domains: visuospatial / executive, naming, memory, attention, language, abstraction, delayed recall, orientation. Scored 0–30; higher is better.
Mechanism
Why moving this marker matters
Mild cognitive impairment is the prodromal phase of many dementias. Early detection enables modifiable risk factor management (blood pressure, hearing, social engagement, exercise) and patient/family planning.
Guideline targets
What major guidelines recommend
Nasreddine 2005 validation (typical normal threshold)
≥26/30
How to measure
The test, where to get it, when to repeat
Method
Clinician-administered, ~10 minutes. Multiple versions exist (English original, German, French, etc.). Requires training to administer correctly; reliability degrades when self-administered.
Where
Performed in primary care, geriatrics, and neurology settings. Self-administration is not validated and reduces reliability.
Typical cost
Free (instrument); cost of clinical appointment varies.
Fasting
Not required
When to test
ADA 2024 / Choosing Wisely
Used when cognitive concern is raised by patient, family, or clinician. Routine population screening of asymptomatic adults is not recommended.
Where to score
Completing this questionnaire
Self-administered — your GP or mental-health professional can confirm scoring and discuss results.
The instrument
Items shown for reference
Validated questionnaires are shown here as reference. Read each item and count your own answers — Healicus does not compute or store a score. This keeps the page on the educational side of the EU MDR line; the instrument itself remains the validated tool.
- 1
Visuospatial / executive: trail-making, cube copy, clock drawing
0–5 points across these sub-tasks
- 2
Naming: three line-drawn animals (lion, rhinoceros, camel)
0–3 points
- 3
Memory: read five words, repeat back (administered twice — first trial scored separately)
Not scored at registration; scored later via delayed recall
- 4
Attention: forward and backward digit span
0–2 points
- 5
Attention: target detection — tap on letter A in a stream
0–1 point
- 6
Attention: serial 7 subtraction from 100
0–3 points
- 7
Language: repeat two sentences
0–2 points
- 8
Language: word generation (words starting with 'F' in 1 minute)
0–1 point
- 9
Abstraction: similarities (train/bicycle, watch/ruler)
0–2 points
- 10
Delayed recall: the five words from earlier
0–5 points
- 11
Orientation: date, month, year, day, place, city
0–6 points
Scoring (do this yourself)
Sum across domains. Per Nasreddine 2005: ≥26 typically normal; <26 suggests possible mild cognitive impairment. Add 1 point if formal education ≤12 years. The instrument is a screening tool, not diagnostic — abnormal scores warrant comprehensive evaluation.
If you prefer an interactive calculator, the published MDCalc tool is available here ↗ — operated and maintained by a third party.
Context
Reading the numbers
Cultural and educational background affect performance independent of cognitive status. Always interpret against the patient's own baseline rather than across populations.
Caveats
Self-administration substantially reduces reliability. Use clinician administration for any consequential application.
Take to your physician
Worth discussing
- Whether you have cognitive concerns warranting formal evaluation.
- If you've had a prior baseline test, whether changes over time are meaningful.
- Which modifiable risk factors (hypertension, hearing loss, social isolation, sleep) are appropriate to address.
Sources
Cited literature
Edited by Carl Pöhl, MD · Healicus editorial
Last reviewed May 2026
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