BrainCheck Assess Cognitive Test Demonstrates Strong Alignment With Traditional Montreal Cognitive Assessment

Mary Patterson

(Credit: BrainCheck)

A recently published study of BrainCheck Assess (BrainCheck), a computerized cognitive test battery, illustrated the tool’s high correlation and agreement with the widely used Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in a sample of older adults, confirming its use as a reliable and accurate digital cognitive assessment tool for clinicians.¹

In a subset of 55 participants (age range, 54-94; mean, 80; SD, 9.5) from 2 previous studies^2,3 who took both the MoCA and BrainCheck Assess, researchers observed a high Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.77 (CI = 0.63-0.86) between the 2 cutoff scores. Based on these results, MoCA cutoffs of 26 and 19 corresponded to BrainCheck Assess scores of 89.6 and 68.5, respectively. Notably, these scores are highly consistent with the currently recommended BrainCheck Assess cutoffs of 85 and 70.

"This study not only reaffirms that BrainCheck Assess aligns with the gold standard in cognitive assessments, but it also demonstrates that the comparable scores and cutoff points between BrainCheck and the MoCA provide critical insights for clinical application," Mary Patterson, senior director of clinical operations at BrainCheck, said in a statement.⁴ "Empowering healthcare providers to have informed discussions about cognitive impairment is fundamental to our mission. This research equips providers with the essential knowledge needed to effectively utilize our standard battery in clinical practice, enhancing patient care through precise and actionable cognitive health assessments."

In this study, investigators examined the linear relationship between BrainCheck Assess and MoCA and their equivalent cut-off scores, as well as the extent to which they agree on their impressions of an individual's cognitive status. Researchers used linear regression to calculate equivalent cut-off scores for BrainCheck Assess based on those originally recommended for the MoCA to differentiate mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from normal cognition (NC; cut-off = 26), and dementia from MCI (cut-off = 19). Additionally, authors measured impression agreement between the 2 assessment tools through overall agreement (OA), positive percent agreement (PPA), and negative percent agreement (NPA).

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"The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a widely used cognitive screening tool, but it has limitations," Reza Ghomi, MD, MSE, Neuropsychiatrist, Department of Neurology, Institute for Neuroengineering, & eScience Institute, University of Washington, Seattle and chief medical Officer at BrainCheck, said in a statement.⁴ "Our study demonstrates that BrainCheck Assess not only matches MoCA's accuracy, it also offers key advantages: it provides a more detailed analysis of cognitive domains and seamlessly integrates with EHR systems for automated, population-level screening. BrainCheck Assess is also part of a comprehensive digital platform that simplifies the entire cognitive care process—from diagnosis to care planning—making it a more efficient and holistic solution."

BrainCheck Assess is an FDA-cleared Class II medical device designed to detect signs of cognitive impairment that may be associated with dementia including Alzheimer disease. As a digital tool, it enables healthcare providers to evaluate and monitor cognitive health over time using any device and from any location. In the current analysis, the BrainCheck Assess and MoCA instruments also displayed a high degree of agreement in their impressions based on their recommended cut-offs (differentiating dementia from MCI/NC, OA = 70.9%, PPA = 70.4%, NPA = 71.4%; differentiating dementia/MCI from NC, OA = 83.6%, PPA = 84.1%, NPA = 81.8%).

"Switching from paper-based tools to BrainCheck has completely transformed how we conduct cognitive assessments," Bruce Lowell, MD, a geriatrician and board-certified internist at New York Hospital Queens and North Shore Hospital Manhasset, said in a statement.⁴ "BrainCheck not only streamlines the process, but it also enables me to monitor changes in cognitive function over time and collaborate more effectively with both patients and caregivers."

REFERENCES
1. Huynh D, Sun K, Ghomi RH, Huang B. Comparing psychometric characteristics of a computerized cognitive test (BrainCheck Assess) against the Montreal cognitive assessment. Front Psychol. 2024;15:1428560. Published 2024 Sep 3. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1428560
2. Groppell S, Soto-Ruiz KM, Flores B, et al. A Rapid, Mobile Neurocognitive Screening Test to Aid in Identifying Cognitive Impairment and Dementia (BrainCheck): Cohort Study. JMIR Aging. 2019;2(1):e12615. Published 2019 Mar 21. doi:10.2196/12615
3. Ye S, Sun K, Huynh D, et al. A Computerized Cognitive Test Battery for Detection of Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment: Instrument Validation Study. JMIR Aging. 2022;5(2):e36825. Published 2022 Apr 15. doi:10.2196/36825
4. New Study Confirms the Accuracy of BrainCheck Assess in Comparison with Widely-Used Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). News Release. BrainCheck. Published October 8, 2024. Accessed January 6, 2024. https://braincheck.com/articles/news/new-study-confirms-the-accuracy-of-braincheck-assess-in-comparison-with-widely-used-montreal-cognitive-assessment-moca