Analysis of the utility of the MoCA Test for the cognitive assessment of a university population in Cali.
Description
This research study focused on the evaluation of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test applied to a population of university students from the Faculty of Psychology in the city of Cali. The main objective was to analyze the cognitive performance of these students using this screening tool and to detect possible trends or characteristics in their results. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a brief test designed to evaluate various cognitive functions, such as memory, orientation, language, concentration, executive function, and visuospatial skills. This test takes approximately 10 minutes and has a maximum score of 30 points, with a score of 26 or above considered within the normal range. The results showed an average performance. Specifically, 21.01% of university students had low levels in executive function and visuospatial skills, while 46.38% scored at a medium level, and 32.61% scored high. In the identification category, only two levels were observed: 3.67% at a medium level and 96.33% at a high level, indicating that no students scored low. In the attention and concentration category, 18.30% scored low, 42.48% scored at a medium level, and 39.22% scored high. In the language category, 5.81% scored low, 27.91% medium, and 66.28% high. Regarding the abstraction domain, 1.37%
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A. Basic concepts of the moCA test Brief Cognitive Screening: A rapid test designed to detect possible signs of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Assesses Multiple Domains: Analyzes aspects such as attention, memory, language, executive functions, visual-spatial perception, calculation, and orientation. Total Score: This is the sum of the points obtained in each subtest, with a maximum of 30. Cut-off: A score of 25 or less generally suggests possible cognitive impairment, although this can be adjusted for educational level. B. Description of the instrument Instrument name: Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) Author: Ziad Nasreddine, MD Year of creation: 1996 (published in 2005) Objective: To assess general cognitive functioning and detect mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in different populations. Type of test: Neuropsychological screening test Areas of application: Clinical, academic and research Domains evaluated: • Attention and concentration • Memory • Language • Executive functions • Visual-spatial skills • Abstraction • Orientation