Word Recall Flashcards

In the MoCA word recall task, what happens if a patient cannot spontaneously recall a word but recalls it after a category cue?

Answer: No point is awarded, but it suggests encoding vs. retrieval deficit

Cued recall scores no points but helps distinguish retrieval failures from true encoding deficits.

Which condition most specifically impairs free recall while leaving recognition relatively intact on the MoCA?

Answer: Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease produces a true amnesia where even cued recall and recognition are impaired.

A patient recalls 4 of 5 words spontaneously on the MoCA delayed recall. What is their score?

Answer: 4

Each spontaneously recalled word earns 1 point, so 4 recalled words = 4 points.

Why does the MoCA use a 5-minute delay before testing word recall?

Answer: To allow interference and assess true long-term retention

The delay with intervening tasks creates interference, revealing whether information was truly encoded into long-term memory.

On the MoCA, the word recall section is worth a maximum of how many points?

Answer: 5

There are 5 target words and each earns 1 point for spontaneous recall, totaling 5 possible points.

What type of memory system is primarily assessed by the MoCA delayed word recall task?

Answer: Episodic memory

Delayed word recall tests episodic memory — the ability to remember specific items from a recent personal experience.

If a patient scores 0 on spontaneous recall but correctly identifies all 5 words on multiple choice recognition, what does this suggest?

Answer: A retrieval deficit rather than an encoding failure

Intact recognition with impaired free recall points to a retrieval deficit, often seen in subcortical or frontal pathology.