Cognitive Assessment & Screening Flashcards
7 cards from real AAC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Cognitive Assessment & Screening flashcards as text
Which of the following statements about the Trail Making Test Part B (TMT-B) is correct?
Answer: It assesses executive function by requiring alternation between numbers and letters
TMT-B requires alternating between numbered and lettered circles (1-A-2-B…), testing cognitive flexibility and executive control beyond simple processing speed.
A nurse screens a patient using the Mini-Cog. The patient recalls 2 of 3 words and draws a normal clock. What is the correct interpretation?
Answer: Screen negative — dementia is unlikely
On the Mini-Cog, recalling 2–3 words with a normal clock is a negative screen; a positive screen requires 0–1 word recall OR an abnormal clock with 0–2 word recall.
Biomarker evidence (e.g., amyloid PET, CSF Aβ42/tau) in Alzheimer's assessment is primarily used to:
Answer: Confirm underlying Alzheimer's pathology when the clinical picture is uncertain
Biomarkers confirm Alzheimer's pathology at a biological level, complementing cognitive assessments when the diagnosis is ambiguous or when precision is needed for treatment decisions.
A patient performing serial 7s subtraction from 100 stops after the first subtraction and cannot continue. Which MMSE domain does this most directly assess?
Answer: Attention and calculation
Serial 7 subtraction is the primary MMSE item measuring attention and calculation, yielding up to 5 points for consecutive correct subtractions.
Which finding on a cognitive assessment most strongly suggests frontotemporal dementia (FTD) rather than typical Alzheimer's disease?
Answer: Prominent behavioral disinhibition and language difficulties with relatively preserved memory
FTD classically presents with early behavioral and personality changes or language deficits while episodic memory is relatively spared, distinguishing it from typical amnestic Alzheimer's.
Which international consensus guideline recommends using the CDR (Clinical Dementia Rating) scale to stage dementia severity?
Answer: NIA-AA (National Institute on Aging – Alzheimer's Association) research framework
The NIA-AA research framework incorporates the CDR scale for staging cognitive and functional impairment across the Alzheimer's disease continuum.
Which of the following is the MOST important reason to obtain a detailed collateral history from a family member before interpreting a cognitive screening score?
Answer: To identify the individual's baseline and detect changes from prior functioning
Collateral history reveals the person's prior functional level, making it possible to detect decline that a single cross-sectional score cannot show.