Validity of the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment in the Prediction of Driving Test Outcome

• Published in: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS) 2015-05, Vol.63 (5), p.988-992
• Main Authors: Hollis, Ann M., Duncanson, Haley, Kapust, Lissa R., Xi, Patricia M., O'Connor, Margaret G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Automobile Driving; Cognition & reasoning; Cognition Disorders - diagnosis; Cohort Studies; driving evaluation; driving safety; Female; Geriatrics; Humans; Male; Medical screening; Neuropsychological Tests; older driver; Predictive Value of Tests; Reproducibility of Results; Retrospective Studies; Risk factors
• ISSN: 0002-8614; 1532-5415
• DOI: 10.1111/jgs.13384

Objectives To evaluate the effectiveness of two cognitive screening measures, the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), in predicting driving test outcome for individuals with and without cognitive impairment. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting A clinical driving evaluation program at a teaching hospital in the United States. Participants Adult drivers who underwent assessment with the MMSE and MoCA as part of a comprehensive driving evaluation between 2010 and 2014 (N = 92). Measurements MMSE and MoCA total scores were independent variables. The outcome measure was performance on a standardized road test. Results A preestablished diagnosis of cognitive impairment enhanced the validity of cognitive screening measures in the identification of at‐risk drivers. In individuals with cognitive impairment there was a significant relationship between MoCA score and on‐road outcome. Specifically, an individual was 1.36 times as likely to fail the road test with each 1‐point decrease in MoCA score. No such relationship was detected in those without a diagnosis of cognitive impairment. Conclusion For individuals who have not been diagnosed with cognitive impairment, neither the MMSE nor the MoCA can be reliably used as an indicator of driving risk, but for individuals with a preestablished diagnosis of cognitive impairment, the MoCA is a useful tool in this regard. A score on the MoCA of 18 or less should raise concerns about driving safety.