MoCA

Medical abbreviation · Neurology

MoCA
Stands forMontreal Cognitive Assessment
CategoriesMedical

MoCA stands for Montreal Cognitive Assessment, a neurology abbreviation.

One-page, 30-point screening test for mild cognitive impairment, assessing visuospatial and executive skills, naming, memory, attention, language, abstraction and orientation. It takes about 10 minutes, and a score of 26 or above is considered normal.

Example: MoCA 22/30 (lost points on clock drawing, delayed recall and trails): suggests MCI.

Usage notes

Developed by Ziad Nasreddine in Montreal and published in 2005. One point is added for people with 12 years or less of formal education. It detects mild impairment better than the MMSE, particularly in executive function. Since 2019 the developers have required training and certification for official use. Pronounced "MO-kah."

More neurology abbreviations

  • LP – Lumbar puncture
  • LVO – Large vessel occlusion
  • MCI – Mild cognitive impairment
  • MG – Myasthenia gravis
  • MMSE – Mini-Mental State Examination
  • MND – Motor neuron disease
  • MOGAD – Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease
  • MOH – Medication overuse headache
  • mRS – Modified Rankin Scale
  • MS – Multiple sclerosis
  • MSA – Multiple system atrophy
  • MSLT – Multiple sleep latency test

See all 131 neurology abbreviations →

This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.