Abstract:

Schizophrenia is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder. Cognitive deficit is the central feature of the neurodevelopmental disorders. Cognitive impairment is related to social, functional, and clinical symptoms. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical usability of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) as a screening instrument for cognitive impairment in schizophrenic patients alone, and in correlation with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). This clinical study included 31 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. Patients were selected from Psychiatry Clinic. For the assessment of cognitive impairment, we used Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Of the total number of patients (n=31), 6/31 (19.4 %) were males and 25/31 (80.6 %) were females; the mean duration of the disorder was 23.5 years (SD=6.69). Seventeen patients (54.8%) of those who were on MMSE scale had a score greater or equal to 24 (normal range) and the MoCA scale had a normal score (>21), while 11 (35.5%) patients reported moderate to severe cognitive impairment. Analysis of the correlation coefficient between the total score of MoCA and the MMSE scale indicates a statistically significant positive correlation with Spearman rho=0.81 and P<0.001. Our findings provide preliminary evidence that the MoCA scale performs well in screening mild and moderate cognitive impairments of schizophrenia patients in outpatient clinics and is more sensitive than MMSE.

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