Overview
The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), MMSE, and Mini-Cog are screening tools, not diagnostic tests. They flag concerns and provide a number to track.
Commonly used tools
- MoCA — sensitive to mild impairment, scored out of 30
- MMSE — long-established, less sensitive to mild changes
- Mini-Cog — very brief, often used in primary care
How to interpret a score
- Scores are adjusted for education in some tools
- A normal score does not rule out early disease
- A low score does not by itself mean dementia
- Trend across visits is more informative than a single result
Medically reviewed. Last reviewed August 2026. This page is educational information, not individualized medical advice.