Memory Flashcards
7 cards from real MOCA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Memory flashcards as text
Which of the following best describes the role of the hippocampus in the MoCA memory task?
Answer: It consolidates new verbal information into long-term storage
The hippocampus is essential for consolidating newly encoded verbal information, making it critical for delayed recall performance.
A patient with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) may differ from an Alzheimer's patient on the MoCA memory task in that FTD patients often:
Answer: Show greater benefit from cueing, reflecting retrieval rather than storage loss
FTD more commonly disrupts retrieval strategies than hippocampal storage, so patients with FTD may benefit more from cueing than AD patients.
When scoring the MoCA, which of the following correctly describes the education adjustment related to memory performance?
Answer: Add 1 point to the total score if education is 12 years or fewer
The MoCA adds 1 bonus point to the total score for patients with 12 or fewer years of formal education to correct for lower baseline scores.
In a research context, which MoCA memory subscore pattern is most consistent with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) amnestic type?
Answer: 1-2/5 free recall improving significantly with cues
Amnestic MCI often shows low free recall that improves with semantic cues, reflecting early hippocampal involvement before complete storage failure.
The MoCA memory task asks patients to learn five words. What characteristic of the word list helps ensure it is sensitive to memory impairment?
Answer: Words come from different semantic categories
Using words from distinct semantic categories (body part, fabric, building, flower, color) prevents clustering strategies and increases sensitivity.
Which statement about MoCA memory performance in normal aging is most accurate?
Answer: Some decline in delayed recall is expected but should not drop below 3/5
Normative data show mild age-related decline, but most cognitively healthy older adults still recall at least 3 of 5 words without cues.
A patient correctly recalls all 5 words on the MoCA delayed recall section. What does this indicate about the memory component score?
Answer: The patient achieves the maximum 5 points for memory
Recalling all 5 words without cues earns the full 5-point memory subscore, though the overall MoCA score reflects all domains.