Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) use in general practice for the early detection of cognitive impairment: a feasibility study

Background GPs can detect cognitive impairment (CI) at a very early stage, allowing early support for people and their caregivers. The early onset of CI is between 50 years and 60 years. Currently, in France, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) remains the most used screening test, although it has a lower sensitivity and specificity than the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) for detecting mild CI, taking an average of 15 minutes to complete. Aim To investigate the feasibility of the MoCA during routine consultations in general practice for the early detection of CI and to determine prevalence of CI in a primary care setting. Design & setting A quantitative, prospective feasibility study was carried out in real-life working conditions during routine GP consultations in France. Method GPs performed MoCA on adults aged ≥50 years, without suspected or confirmed CI. Results Sixty-one GPs performed 221 MoCA with a mean duration of 8 minutes and detected mild neurocognitive impairment in 62% of patients. Conclusion The MoCA is feasible and easy to perform during routine consultations in general practice by trained and experienced physicians.