MoCA Visuospatial Abilities 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In the MoCA clock-drawing task, what is the maximum score a patient can earn?
- 2 points
- 3 points (Correct answer)
- 4 points
- 5 points
Correct answer: 3 points
The clock-drawing task is scored out of 3 points: 1 for contour, 1 for numbers, and 1 for hands.
Question 2: A patient draws a clock with all 12 numbers but places the hands at 11 and 10 instead of 11 and 2. Which scoring element is lost?
- Contour point
- Numbers point
- Hands point (Correct answer)
- No points are lost
Correct answer: Hands point
The hands point is lost when the hands are not correctly set to the instructed time (10 past 11).
Question 3: On the MoCA cube-copying task, which error would cause the examiner to score 0?
- Slightly uneven line lengths
- Missing a back corner of the cube (Correct answer)
- Lines drawn freehand rather than with a ruler
- Cube slightly smaller than the model
Correct answer: Missing a back corner of the cube
A missing corner or incorrect three-dimensional structure results in a score of 0 for the cube copy.
Question 4: Which cognitive domain does the trail-making portion of the MoCA (alternating number-letter sequence) primarily assess alongside visuospatial skills?
- Language fluency
- Executive function (Correct answer)
- Episodic memory
- Attention span
Correct answer: Executive function
The alternating trail makes a task taps both visuospatial scanning and executive function (set-shifting).
Question 5: A patient correctly draws a clock contour and places all numbers but omits the minute hand entirely. What is their clock score?
- 0
- 1 (Correct answer)
- 2
- 3
Correct answer: 1
They earn 1 point for contour and 1 for numbers, but the hands point requires both hands to be present and correctly placed.
Question 6: During cube copying, a patient reproduces a figure with 4 visible faces instead of 3. What does this suggest?
- Superior visuospatial ability
- Perseveration error
- Difficulty representing 3-D depth on a 2-D surface (Correct answer)
- Normal variation within scoring criteria
Correct answer: Difficulty representing 3-D depth on a 2-D surface
Adding extra faces indicates trouble projecting a three-dimensional object onto a two-dimensional plane.
Question 7: The MoCA visuospatial battery is considered sensitive for detecting early deficits associated with which condition?
- Major depressive disorder
- Alzheimer's disease and other dementias (Correct answer)
- Schizophrenia
- Generalized anxiety disorder
Correct answer: Alzheimer's disease and other dementias
Visuospatial tasks on the MoCA are particularly sensitive to early cortical changes seen in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.
MoCA Visuospatial Abilities 2
In the MoCA clock-drawing task, what is the maximum score a patient can earn?