My patient might be depressed – can I still screen for MCI? Exploring cognitive performance on the MoCA in older people screened for depressive symptoms with the PHQ-9

  • Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) performances of people who report no, subclinical, and clinical symptoms of depression. Methods: Data was collected for the randomized controlled trial BrainFit-Nutrition. A secondary data analysis of 1,111 participants (age ≥ 60 years; M = 68.4 years; 55.1% female) was performed. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), cognitive performance was assessed via the MoCA. Performance differences were tested with Kruskal-Wallis tests. Two sensitivity analyses were conducted, one with data from people with MCI and one with the original item structure of the MoCA. Results: No differences were found in the MoCA total score or in visuospatial, executive functioning, attention, memory, or orientation subscores between individuals with no, subclinical, or clinical symptoms of depression. A sensitivity analysis also showed no differences. Conclusion: CognitiveObjective: The aim of this study was to compare the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) performances of people who report no, subclinical, and clinical symptoms of depression. Methods: Data was collected for the randomized controlled trial BrainFit-Nutrition. A secondary data analysis of 1,111 participants (age ≥ 60 years; M = 68.4 years; 55.1% female) was performed. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), cognitive performance was assessed via the MoCA. Performance differences were tested with Kruskal-Wallis tests. Two sensitivity analyses were conducted, one with data from people with MCI and one with the original item structure of the MoCA. Results: No differences were found in the MoCA total score or in visuospatial, executive functioning, attention, memory, or orientation subscores between individuals with no, subclinical, or clinical symptoms of depression. A sensitivity analysis also showed no differences. Conclusion: Cognitive screening with the MoCA seems to be robust against depression and could therefore be used to screen for MCI regardless of depression level.show moreshow less

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Metadaten
Author:Sophia Bösl, Petra Scheerbaum, Elmar Graessel, Christian KesslerORCiDGND, Julia-Sophia Scheuermann
URN:urn:nbn:de:bvb:384-opus4-1261470
Frontdoor URLhttps://opus.bibliothek.uni-augsburg.de/opus4/126147
ISSN:1471-2318OPAC
Parent Title (English):BMC Geriatrics
Publisher:Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Place of publication:Berlin
Type:Article
Language:English
Year of first Publication:2025
Publishing Institution:Universität Augsburg
Release Date:2025/11/10
Volume:25
Issue:1
First Page:374
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-025-06004-6
Institutes:Medizinische Fakultät
Medizinische Fakultät / Universitätsklinikum
Medizinische Fakultät / Professur für Integrative Gesundheitsversorgung und Prävention
Dewey Decimal Classification:6 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften / 61 Medizin und Gesundheit / 610 Medizin und Gesundheit
Licence (German):CC-BY 4.0: Creative Commons: Namensnennung