Background: The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is a widely used screening tool for cognitive function, but studies have shown it to be insensitive to post-stroke cognitive deficits. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) has been proposed as an alternative that might have greater sensitivity in stroke and vascular cognitive impairment.
Principal investigators: Cumming T, Linden T, Bernhardt J
Co-ordinating centre: National Stroke Research Institute
Participating centre: Austin Hospital, Melbourne
Aim: To assess the validity of the MMSE, MoCA and Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) against a neuropsychological battery in patients with stroke.
Study design: A cross-sectional study with 2 assessment sessions at 3 months post-stroke.
Methods: Patients completed the 3 screening tools at the first testing session. One week later, they completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. Those with deficits in at least 2 of the 6 cognitive domains were classified as cognitively impaired. Data from the screening tools were compared against this classification to determine sensitivity and specificity.
Progress: Recruitment ceased in March 2011, and 3-month follow-ups were completed in June 2011.
Funding for this project was obtained from the National Stroke Foundation and the Equity Trustees Preston & Loui Geduld Trust Fund. Dr Cumming was supported by a Gait CCRE Postdoctoral stipend and a National Heart Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellowship.
“Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose.”
