Which memory domain is NOT considered a standard category in the MSE memory assessment?

• A. Immediate memory
• B. Recent memory
• C. Remote memory
• D. Working memory

Answer: (D)

In the mental status exam, memory is typically evaluated across immediate recall, recent memory, and remote memory. Immediate memory checks how well a person repeats new information right away; recent memory assesses recall over a short interval; remote memory looks at distant past events and facts. Working memory, while important for daily functioning, is not a standard category in the MSE memory assessment. It’s more about holding and manipulating information over short periods and is usually tested with specific cognitive tasks (like digit span) rather than the usual MSE memory items. So the item that doesn’t fit the standard MSE memory categories is working memory.