MoCA Attention and Concentration 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In the MoCA serial 7 subtraction task, how many subtractions does the patient perform?
- Three
- Four
- Five (Correct answer)
- Six
Correct answer: Five
The patient subtracts 7 from 100 five consecutive times (100, 93, 86, 79, 72, 65).
Question 2: What score does a patient receive on the MoCA serial 7s task if they get 3 out of 5 correct?
- 0 points
- 1 point
- 2 points (Correct answer)
- 3 points
Correct answer: 2 points
The MoCA awards 2 points for 3-4 correct subtractions in the serial 7s task.
Question 3: Which cognitive process is primarily assessed by the MoCA digit span forward task?
- Long-term memory
- Working memory
- Phonological short-term memory (Correct answer)
- Executive function
Correct answer: Phonological short-term memory
Digit span forward measures phonological short-term memory, the ability to hold and repeat a sequence without manipulation.
Question 4: In the MoCA digit span backward task, the examiner reads a sequence and asks the patient to repeat it:
- In the same order
- In reverse order (Correct answer)
- In ascending numeric order
- Skipping every other digit
Correct answer: In reverse order
The backward digit span requires the patient to reverse the sequence, engaging working memory and mental manipulation.
Question 5: What is the target letter in the MoCA letter vigilance (A) task?
- E
- A (Correct answer)
- S
- T
Correct answer: A
The patient must tap whenever the letter 'A' is heard during a random sequence of letters read aloud.
Question 6: On the MoCA letter vigilance task, each error — either a missed target or a tap on a non-target — results in:
- No deduction from the total score
- A deduction of 0.5 points
- Losing the 1 point available for the task (Correct answer)
- Immediate task termination
Correct answer: Losing the 1 point available for the task
Two or more errors on the vigilance task result in a score of 0; the patient either earns 1 point or 0.
Question 7: Which MoCA attention subtest specifically measures sustained attention over time?
- Serial 7 subtraction
- Digit span forward
- Letter vigilance (Tap A) (Correct answer)
- Digit span backward
Correct answer: Letter vigilance (Tap A)
The letter vigilance task requires maintaining focus over a prolonged randomized sequence, making it the primary measure of sustained attention.
MoCA Attention and Concentration 2
In the MoCA serial 7 subtraction task, how many subtractions does the patient perform?