MoCA Memory

Question 1

I will read you a list of words. After I finish, I will ask you to repeat them back to me. Please listen carefully.
Here are the words: "apple, table, penny, chair, rose"
Can you repeat them now?

Accepted Answer

"apple, table, rose, chair, penny"

Answer

This MoCA task assesses immediate verbal recall, a key component of memory. Participants are asked to repeat a list of words immediately after hearing them. The correct answer includes all five words from the list ('apple, table, penny, chair, rose'), demonstrating the ability to encode and retrieve information from short-term memory, even if the order of recall varies slightly.

Question 2

You just heard a list of five words: "apple, table, penny, chair, rose."
Now, after a short delay, I would like you to recall as many of those words as you can.

Accepted Answer

"apple, chair, rose"

Answer

This task assesses delayed verbal recall, a measure of long-term memory. After a short delay and other cognitive tasks, participants are asked to recall words from an earlier list ('apple, table, penny, chair, rose'). The correct answer, 'apple, chair, rose,' represents a partial but accurate recall of the original words, indicating some retention over time, which is a typical scoring point in the MoCA for this specific task.

Question 3

I am going to say a list of words again. Please listen carefully: "cat, sun, book, car, pen."
Can you repeat these words back to me?

Accepted Answer

"pen, book, car, sun, cat"

Answer

This question tests immediate verbal recall for a second list of words, further assessing working memory and attention. The participant is expected to repeat all five words from the list ('cat, sun, book, car, pen') immediately after hearing them. The correct answer provides all the words, though the order may vary, demonstrating successful encoding and retrieval from short-term memory.

Question 4

After 5 minutes, I will ask you to recall the list of words: "apple, table, penny, chair, rose."
Can you tell me as many of the words as you remember?

Accepted Answer

"apple, chair, rose"

Answer

This task re-assesses delayed verbal recall of the *first* word list ('apple, table, penny, chair, rose') after a longer interval. The correct answer, 'apple, chair, rose,' indicates the participant's ability to retrieve a subset of the previously learned words from long-term memory. This measures the persistence of memory encoding over time and is consistent with typical MoCA scoring for delayed recall.

Question 5

Earlier, I gave you a list of five words: "cat, sun, book, car, pen."
Now, I will ask you to recall those words after completing a short task. I want you to subtract 7 from 100 (and continue subtracting 7). After that, I will ask you to remember the list of words.
What are the words I asked you to recall earlier?

Accepted Answer

"cat, sun, book, car, pen"

Answer

This question assesses delayed recall of the *second* word list ('cat, sun, book, car, pen') after an intervening task (serial 7s). The correct answer includes all five words from the list, demonstrating robust long-term memory retention despite interference. This task evaluates the participant's ability to retrieve specific information after a period of distraction, indicating strong memory encoding and retrieval processes.

(MoCA) Montreal Cognitive Assessment Practice Test

(MoCA) Montreal Cognitive Assessment Practice Test

MoCA Memory