title: A pilot study to measure cognitive impairment in patients with severe schizophrenia with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).
abstract: Cognitive impairment has been suggested to be a core feature of a schizophrenia diagnosis. Many comprehensive neuropsychological batteries and experimental procedures have been used to assess cognitive impairment in schizophrenia. A few brief performance-based cognitive assessments have been developed to fulfill the need of a more feasible cognitive assessment for schizophrenia in clinical settings. However, their usability is in question. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), a brief cognitive assessment tool, has been used widely in different clinical settings because of its high sensitivity and specificity for detecting cognitive impairments. This study assessed cognitive function in patients with schizophrenia by using the MoCA tool. The results showed that the MoCA was sensitive enough to detect cognitive impairment in patients with schizophrenia. It also provided normative data for the MoCA in schizophrenia patients. Furthermore, the results revealed that cognitive impairment measured by the MoCA was correlated with their education level, severity of illness, and negative symptoms. Lastly, the MoCA total score could be a significant predictor of patients' length of stay in the facility.
authors.affiliation: Hillside Psychiatric Centre, Interior Health, Kamloops, BC V2C 2T1, Canada. Electronic address: Caili.Wu@interiorhealth.ca.
authors.forename: Caili
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Hillside Psychiatric Centre, Interior Health, Kamloops, BC V2C 2T1, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dagg
authors.affiliation: Hillside Psychiatric Centre, Interior Health, Kamloops, BC V2C 2T1, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Molgat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D004522:Educational Status; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011379:Prognosis; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers
keywords: Cognitive assessment; Cognitive impairment; Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA); Schizophrenia