The Montreal Cognitive Assessment is a 30-point, ten-minute screen for mild cognitive impairment. The test itself happens on paper or a licensed digital version; the eCRF captures domain scores, the education adjustment, the version used and who rated it.
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Domain scores
Visuospatial / executive (0 to 5)
Naming (0 to 3)
Attention (0 to 6)
Delayed recall (0 to 5)
12 years of education or fewer?
Total score (0 to 30)
Within range 0 to 30
MoCA at a glance
Licensing
Licence requiredRights holder: MoCA CognitionThe MoCA is copyrighted. Clinical trial and commercial use are licensed, and many users must complete MoCA training and certification.
In Capture: Capture doesn't supply this instrument or a licence for it. Once you have both, enter the official wording yourself and keep the licence with your study documents. Capture's licence controls apply to patient questionnaires, not to site-completed forms like this one.
MoCA CognitionInstrument names belong to their rights holders, and Capture is not affiliated with or endorsed by them. Terms change, so confirm them with the rights holder before your study starts. This is general information, not legal advice.
The instrument
The MoCA is a brief, clinician-administered test covering the cognitive domains most affected early in neurodegenerative and vascular disease: executive function, attention, memory, language, visuospatial ability, abstraction and orientation. It takes about ten minutes and produces a single 0 to 30 score, which is why it is widely used as an eligibility criterion in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and cognitive health trials and as a secondary outcome in many others.
The test includes drawing and copying tasks (a clock and a cube, for example) and a trail-making item, so the raw material is visual. In most trials the completed test sheet is the source document, and the eCRF records the scores taken from it. That division keeps the scored data structured and verifiable while the source sheet stays available for source data verification.
Domain scores are added to give a total out of 30, and one point is added if the participant has 12 or fewer years of formal education (up to the maximum of 30). A total of 26 or above is generally regarded as normal, but many studies set their own eligibility ranges, and cut-offs vary with age, education and language. Put the exact rule in the protocol and apply it consistently.
Repeating the same version every few months lets participants learn the memory words and naming animals, inflating later scores. Alternate versions with different items are available for repeat testing. Record which version was used at each visit, and follow the rotation your protocol specifies.
Screening total (with education point)
24 / 30
Structure
| Domain | Max points | eCRF field |
|---|---|---|
| Visuospatial / executive | 5 | Number, range 0 to 5 |
| Naming | 3 | Number, range 0 to 3 |
| Attention | 6 | Number, range 0 to 6 |
| Language | 3 | Number, range 0 to 3 |
| Abstraction | 2 | Number, range 0 to 2 |
| Delayed recall | 5 | Number, range 0 to 5 |
| Orientation | 6 | Number, range 0 to 6 |
| Education adjustment | +1 | Single choice: 12 years or fewer |
| Total | 30 | Number, range 0 to 30 |
| Version used | n/a | Dropdown of licensed versions |
| Administration date and rater | n/a | Date field; rater from the audit trail |
This page describes the MoCA's structure only. Obtain the test, instructions, versions and licence from MoCA Cognition.
Rater consistency
Inter-rater variability is one of the largest sources of noise in cognitive endpoints. Every value entered in Capture is attributed in the field-level audit trail, so you can check that the same certified rater assessed a participant across visits, and range checks catch domain scores outside their maximum at entry.
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Build the domain fields and test with sample scores in the free sandbox.
Choosing an instrument
Both are 30-point screening tests, and many dementia trials use one of them for eligibility. The MoCA includes more demanding executive and memory tasks, which makes it more sensitive to mild cognitive impairment; the MMSE has a longer track record in Alzheimer's disease trials and is often used to define mild or moderate dementia. For efficacy in Alzheimer's disease, trials typically rely on longer instruments such as the ADAS-Cog rather than either screen.
Whichever you choose, keep it consistent across the program so eligibility thresholds are comparable between studies. See EDC for Alzheimer's and dementia trials for how cognitive batteries fit together in a study.
Seven domain scores are added for a total out of 30, and one point is added for participants with 12 or fewer years of education. A total of 26 or above is generally considered normal.
No. The MoCA is copyrighted and trial and commercial use is licensed by MoCA Cognition, which also runs training and certification for users.
Most trials record domain scores and the total, with the completed test sheet as the source document. Record item level only if your analysis needs it.
Alternate versions reduce learning effects on repeat testing. Recording the version at each visit shows the protocol's rotation was followed.
Capture's licence controls apply to patient questionnaires. The MoCA is completed by site staff, so keep the licence and certification records with your study documents.
No. It describes the structure and how to capture scores. Obtain the test from MoCA Cognition.
Keep exploring
MMSE eCRF template
The other 30-point cognitive screen.
ADAS-Cog eCRF template
The longer cognitive efficacy scale.
EDC for Alzheimer's trials
Cognitive batteries across a study.
EDC for CNS and neurology trials
Neurology studies more broadly.
Cognitive focus diary template
Daily self-rated focus between visits.
eCOA software
Licensed instruments with licence tracking.
Build a MoCA form with range checks and rater attribution. Free sandbox, no credit card.