Recall of Words Flashcards
7 cards from real MMSE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Recall of Words flashcards as text
A patient denies remembering any words but, when given category cues, recalls all three correctly. What does this pattern suggest?
Answer: Retrieval difficulty with intact storage, suggesting subcortical or frontal pathology rather than hippocampal amnesia
Intact cued recall with failed free recall indicates the memory trace was stored but retrieval is impaired, a pattern common in subcortical dementias and frontal lobe dysfunction.
How does the MMSE word recall task differ from a recognition memory test?
Answer: Recall requires generating the word without external prompts, while recognition requires identifying a word among choices
Free recall demands active retrieval with no external cues, whereas recognition provides the target word among foils and requires only identification.
Which MMSE cutoff score is most commonly used in the US to indicate possible dementia?
Answer: 23 or below out of 30
A total MMSE score of 23 or below (out of 30) is widely used as a threshold suggesting possible cognitive impairment requiring further evaluation.
A 90-year-old patient recalls 1 of 3 words. Before concluding cognitive impairment, the clinician should consider:
Answer: Age-adjusted norms, because recall performance normally declines with advanced age
Normative recall performance decreases with age, so scores must be interpreted against age-matched reference data rather than universal cutoffs.
Which medication class most commonly causes transient word recall impairment that can mimic dementia on MMSE testing?
Answer: Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines cause sedation and anterograde amnestic effects that can significantly impair encoding and recall, producing falsely low MMSE scores.
What is the clinical term for the specific inability to form new long-term memories, such as retaining MMSE words after a delay?
Answer: Anterograde amnesia
Anterograde amnesia is the inability to encode new memories after the onset of injury or disease, directly impairing retention of newly learned information.
In standardized MMSE administration, which of the following actions by the examiner would invalidate the word recall score?
Answer: Reminding the patient of the words during the intervening tasks
Any reminder of the words during the intervening period contaminates the recall test by providing additional rehearsal opportunities, invalidating the memory assessment.