Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42112960›Full record

ArticleBrain and behavior2026

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment at the Framingham Heart Study: A Re-Examination of the Norms.

Emma Muller, Calvin Guan, Katherine A Gifford, Preeti Sunderaraman, Sherral Devine, Yulin Liu, Phillip H Hwang, Ashita S Gurnani

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Brain and behavior, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Emma MullerThe Framingham Heart Study, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0009-5079-3735
Calvin GuanDepartment of Mathematics and Statistics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Katherine A GiffordThe Framingham Heart Study, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Preeti SunderaramanThe Framingham Heart Study, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Sherral DevineThe Framingham Heart Study, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Yulin LiuThe Framingham Heart Study, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Phillip H HwangThe Framingham Heart Study, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Ashita S GurnaniThe Framingham Heart Study, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Funding

TBDU19AG068753 · NIA · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · PI Ting Fang Alvin Ang · 2020 to 2026
$42.4M
FRAMINGHAM HEART STUDY - YEAR 5 EXAM75N92019D00031 · NHLBI · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · PI RAMACHANDRAN, VASAN · 2019 to 2024
$29.8M
EPIDEMIOLOGY OF DEMENTIA IN THE FRAMINGHAM STUDYR01AG008122 · NIA · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · PI AU, RHODA, SESHADRI, SUDHA · 1989 to 2015
$14.4M
Re-visiting Methods for MCI Diagnosis to Improve Biomarker and Trial FindingsR01AG049810 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI BONDI, MARK W, EDLAND, STEVEN DYAL · 2016 to 2020
$3.7M
Epigenetic changes in synaptic and inflammatory genes involved in the age-dependent development of Alzheimer's disease pathologies andcognitive declineRF1AG054156 · NIA · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · PI AU, RHODA, RYU, HOON · 2016 to 2018
$3.4M
Cognitive Heterogeneity in those with high Alzheimer's Disease RiskRF1AG062109 · NIA · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · PI AU, RHODA · 2020 to 2021
$1.8M
Cognitive heterogeneity in those with high Alzheimer's Disease RiskR01AG062109 · NIA · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · PI Rhoda Au, Vijaya B. Kolachalama · 2025 to 2026
$1.6M
Cognitive heterogeneity in those with high Alzheimer's Disease RiskR56AG062109 · NIA · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · PI AU, RHODA · 2018 to 2018
$517k
CLC NIH HHS HHSN269201500001CCLC NIH HHS HHSN269201500001INHLBI NIH HHS 75N92019D00031NHLBI NIH HHS HHSN269201500001INHLBI NIH HHS N01-HC-25195NIA NIH HHS R01 AG008122NIA NIH HHS R01-AG008122NIA NIH HHS R01-AG016496NIA NIH HHS R01 AG049810NIA NIH HHS R01-AG049810NIA NIH HHS R01 AG062109NIA NIH HHS R01-AG062109NIA NIH HHS R56 AG062109NIA NIH HHS RF1 AG054156NIA NIH HHS RF1AG054156NIA NIH HHS RF1 AG062109NIA NIH HHS U19 AG068753NIA NIH HHS U19AG068753
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThere is a lack of consensus regarding what constitutes cognitively normal performance on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) based on demographic characteristics. Further, research regarding normative data on the MoCA for middle-aged individuals is relatively limited. The current study sought to provide age- and education-corrected normative data for the MoCA in a large epidemiological cohort of cognitively healthy middle-aged and older adults with characteristics similar to the original validation sample of the MoCA.

methodsParticipants were from Generation 3 and Omni 2 cohorts of the Framingham Heart Study (n = 2637; 91.43% non-Hispanic White) who were determined to be cognitively unimpaired at the time of MoCA assessment (Mean age = 53.56 years, age range = 32-83 years, 63.71% ≥ college-educated). Normative data were generated by age in 10-year intervals and education (≤ high school, some college, or ≥ college degree). Analysis of variance was used to examine the relationship between MoCA performance, age, and education.

resultsThe average MoCA score across all participants was close to the revised MCI cutoff of 23 (M = 24.69, SD = 3.03). The average MoCA score for individuals over the age of 60 was below the recently suggested MCI cutoff score of 23 points. Similarly, individuals above the age of 70 scored below the revised cutoff score of 23 points, irrespective of level of education. Further, performance of participants below the age of 40 who were college educated was similar to the frequently used original MCI cutoff score of 26 (M = 26.28, SD = 2.41).

conclusionsResults are consistent with previous literature suggesting that the original MoCA cutoff score of 26 may result in a high rate of false positives. Findings indicate that the recently suggested MCI cutoff score of 23 on the MoCA may also be artificially high. Using inappropriate normative data for the MoCA can impact diagnostic accuracy as well as misclassification in research settings. These findings highlight the need for the use of demographically appropriate, population-based normative data for the MoCA in clinical and research settings.

Indexed as

CognitionMental Status and Dementia TestsAdultAgedAged, 80 and overAge FactorsCohort StudiesEducational StatusFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedReference Valuescognitive assessmentdiagnostic accuracymild cognitive impairmentMontreal Cognitive Assessmentnormative data

Identifiers

PMID42112960
PMCPMC13159545

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.