Diagnostic validity of the Persian version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment - basic for cognitive screening

Area of Science:

• Neuropsychology
• Geriatric Medicine
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Rising prevalence of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) in aging populations necessitates accessible screening tools.
• The Montreal Cognitive Assessment Basic (MoCA-B) is designed for individuals with limited literacy and education.
• Validation of the MoCA-B in diverse linguistic and cultural groups is crucial for its widespread application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the Persian translation of the MoCA-B for assessing cognitive function.
• To evaluate the MoCA-B's efficacy in distinguishing between cognitively healthy individuals, MCI patients, and Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients in a Persian-speaking cohort.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study involving translation and cultural adaptation of the MoCA-B into Persian.
• Recruitment of three participant groups: cognitively healthy aging individuals (n=60), MCI patients (n=30), and AD patients (n=30).
• All participants assessed using established criteria including MMSE, MoCA-B, DSM-5, and Albert's criteria.

Main Results:

• MoCA-B scores were significantly lower in AD patients compared to MCI patients and healthy controls (P < 0.001).
• MCI patients demonstrated significantly lower MoCA-B scores than cognitively healthy individuals (P < 0.001).
• A cutoff score of 20.5 on the MoCA-B demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity=95.0%, specificity=88.3%, AUC=0.972) for differentiating between cognitive impairment (AD/MCI) and healthy cognition.

Conclusions:

• The Persian version of the MoCA-B is a valid and reliable screening tool for cognitive impairment, including MCI and AD.
• The MoCA-B is suitable for use in the Persian-speaking population, particularly for individuals with lower educational backgrounds.
• This validated assessment aids in early detection of neurodegenerative diseases in a culturally diverse context.