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Completed

NCT Number: NCT07630688

Validation and Reliability of the Turkish Version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Basic (MoCA-B) in Individuals With Low Educational Level

This study aimed to evaluate the validity, reliability, and diagnostic accuracy of the Turkish version of MoCA-B in distinguishing healthy controls, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia patients within a low-education population.

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Key information

Conditions

Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia Alzheimer Disease Behavior Brain Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases Cognition Disorders Cognitive Cognitive Dysfunction Dementia Dementia (Diagnosis) Dementia Alzheimer Type Disease MCI MCI Conversion to Dementia Memory Mental Disorders Mild Cognitive Impairment Nervous System Diseases Neurocognitive Disorders Neurodegenerative Diseases Pathologic Processes Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Tauopathies

Age range

50 year–100 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Neurology Department, University of Health Sciences (SBÜ), Türkiye

Antalya, Muratpaşa, 07030, Turkey (Türkiye)

About this study

The prevalence of dementia is steadily increasing, and recognizing cognitive impairment at an early stage-especially during mild cognitive impairment (MCI), before full diagnostic criteria for dementia are met-is crucial. Cognitive screening tools used in individuals with low educational levels often fail to detect MCI. The illiterate version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is insufficient for identifying MCI and early dementia, resulting in delayed diagnosis. The MoCA-Basic (MoCA-B), adapted for low-educated populations and translated into Turkish, has not undergone a validation and reliability study; therefore, it is not routinely used in clinical practice. This study aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Turkish MoCA- B in detecting MCI and dementia, and to compare its diagnostic performance with the MMSE and the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR).

This study included 55 patients with MCI, 56 with dementia, and 55 healthy controls (total n=166) who presented to the Dementia and Neurology Clinics of Antalya Training and Research Hospital between January 2024 and November 2025. After a detailed mental status examination, participants underwent MoCA-B, MMSE (illiterate version), and CDR assessments. Internal consistency was measured using Cronbach's alpha, and test-retest reliability using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Group differences were analyzed with one-way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc testing. Correlations between MoCA-B, MMSE, and CDR were evaluated with Pearson correlation. Diagnostic accuracy was assessed through ROC analyses, and optimal cut- off values were determined using the Youden index.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Age 50-100 years
  • Presented with memory complaints and were evaluated in the Neurology/Dementia outpatient clinics of Antalya Training and Research Hospital (Jan 2024-Nov 2025)
  • Low educational attainment (illiterate to primary school level)
  • Provided informed consent

Exclusion criteria

  • Active psychiatric disorders / active psychopathology
  • Intracranial mass lesions
  • Secondary causes of dementia
  • Severe medical conditions affecting cognition
  • History of traumatic brain injury

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

  1. MoCA-B cut off points

    Time frame: at baseline and after 4 weeks (test-retest)

    Calculating cutoff values for dementia and MCI in untrained individuals using the MoCA-B test.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Correlations of MoCA-B total score with MMSE and CDR

    Time frame: data were collected between January 2024 and November 2025.

    As a secondary endpoint, Pearson correlation (level of relationship) of the MoCA-B total score with MMSE and/or CDR total scores was evaluated to demonstrate concurrent criterion validity.

  2. Subdomain-level analyses

    Time frame: Data were collected between January 2024 and November 2025

    The subdomain-level analyses for the MoCA-B test aimed to determine which domains best facilitated diagnostic differentiation by evaluating, using ANOVA and post-hoc tests, whether subtest scores such as executive function, memory, and attention differed significantly between control, HKB, and dementia groups.

Other outcomes

  1. Educational/demographic factors in the use of MoCA-B testing.

    Time frame: Data were collected between January 2024 and November 2025

    The aim of this study was to examine whether the MoCA-B total score and its subgroups are affected not only by disease status but also by characteristics such as years of education, age, gender, marital status, additional illnesses, and family history.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Antalya Training and Research Hospital

Other Gov

Registry information

Official study title

Turkish Validity and Reliability Study of the MoCA-B Test

Acronym: MoCA-B Turkish

Important dates

Study start
2024
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2026
First posted
Jun 5, 2026
Registry last updated
Jun 5, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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