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

Bösl S, Scheerbaum P, Grässel E, Kessler C, Scheuermann JS (2025)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2025

Journal

BMC Geriatrics BMC

Book Volume: 25

Article Number: 374

Journal Issue: 1

DOI: 10.1186/s12877-025-06004-6

Abstract

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: Cognitive screening with the MoCA seems to be robust against depression and could therefore be used to screen for MCI regardless of depression level. Trial registration: The study was prospectively registered at the International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number Registry on 23/11/2021 (ISRCTN 10560738).

Authors with CRIS profile

Sophia Bösl Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Petra Scheerbaum Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Elmar Grässel Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Julia-Sophia Scheuermann Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy

How to cite

APA:

Bösl, S., Scheerbaum, P., Grässel, E., Kessler, C., & Scheuermann, J.-S. (2025). 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. BMC Geriatrics, 25(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-025-06004-6

MLA:

Bösl, Sophia, et al. "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." BMC Geriatrics 25.1 (2025).

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