ABSTRACT.
Several screening tests have been used for cognitive evaluation in Parkinson’s disease (PD).
Objective:
To evaluate the usefulness of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in patients with Parkinson’s disease and no cognitive impairment complaints.
Methods:
A total of 40 PD patients with no complaints of cognitive problems were included. Patients were selected using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the MoCA was then administered.
Results:
80% of patients exhibited Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) according to the MoCA. Statistically significant differences in visuospatial, attention and delayed recall functions were evident between the normal and abnormal MoCA groups.
Conclusion:
The study results suggest that MoCA may be a good screening test in patients with PD who do not present cognitive complaints.
Key words:
Parkinson’s disease; mild cognitive impairment; cognitive impairment; Montreal Cognitive Assessment