CALIFORNIA GEROPSYCHOLOGY EXAM
WITH QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
ANSWERS, PLUS DETAILED
RATIONALES/EXPERT VERIFIED FOR
GUARANTEED PASS 2026/LATEST
UPDATE/INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF
1.
A 78-year-old patient presents with gradually progressive difficulty
managing finances, remembering appointments, and navigating familiar
environments. His family reports that the changes developed over
approximately four years and have progressively worsened. He has no
acute fluctuation in attention or consciousness. Which feature most
strongly supports a neurocognitive disorder rather than delirium?
A. Impaired recent memory
B. Progressive course over several years
C. Difficulty with instrumental activities of daily living
D. Family concern about cognitive decline
Answer: B. Progressive course over several years
Rationale: A progressive decline over years is characteristic of a major
neurocognitive disorder, whereas delirium typically has an acute or
subacute onset with fluctuating attention and awareness. Although
impaired memory and functional decline are important, the temporal
course is the strongest distinguishing feature in this case.
2.
An 82-year-old hospitalized patient becomes disoriented overnight after
developing a urinary tract infection. During the morning he is relatively
attentive, but by evening he is severely confused, repeatedly attempting
1
,to leave the hospital, and unable to sustain attention. Which diagnosis is
most appropriate?
A. Major depressive disorder
B. Mild neurocognitive disorder
C. Delirium
D. Alzheimer's disease
Answer: C. Delirium
Rationale: Delirium is characterized by an acute disturbance in
attention and awareness accompanied by changes in cognition, often
fluctuating over the course of a day. Infection, hospitalization,
medications, dehydration, and metabolic abnormalities are common
precipitating factors in older adults.
3.
A psychologist evaluates an 85-year-old who reports forgetting
conversations but remains independent in medication management,
transportation, finances, and household responsibilities. Cognitive
testing reveals modest impairment that does not substantially interfere
with everyday independence. Which diagnosis is most consistent with
these findings?
A. Major neurocognitive disorder
B. Mild neurocognitive disorder
C. Delirium
D. Late-life psychosis
Answer: B. Mild neurocognitive disorder
Rationale: Mild neurocognitive disorder involves modest cognitive
decline that does not significantly interfere with independence in
everyday activities. The individual's preserved ability to manage
2
,complex instrumental activities of daily living is particularly important
in distinguishing mild from major neurocognitive disorder.
4.
Which cognitive profile is most characteristic of Alzheimer's disease in
its typical early presentation?
A. Early prominent episodic-memory impairment
B. Early severe behavioral disinhibition
C. Early isolated visuospatial impairment with preserved memory
D. Abrupt fluctuations in attention
Answer: A. Early prominent episodic-memory impairment
Rationale: Typical Alzheimer's disease initially produces prominent
impairment in learning and retaining new information, reflecting
dysfunction in medial temporal structures. Behavioral changes,
visuospatial deficits, and executive dysfunction may occur later or
become more prominent in atypical presentations.
5.
A 76-year-old has cognitive fluctuations, recurrent well-formed visual
hallucinations, REM sleep behavior symptoms, and parkinsonian motor
signs. Which neurocognitive disorder should be considered most
strongly?
A. Alzheimer's disease
B. Dementia with Lewy bodies
C. Frontotemporal neurocognitive disorder
D. Vascular neurocognitive disorder
Answer: B. Dementia with Lewy bodies
3
, Rationale: Dementia with Lewy bodies is particularly associated with
fluctuating cognition, recurrent visual hallucinations, REM sleep
behavior disorder, and spontaneous parkinsonism. The combination of
these features is highly characteristic.
6.
A 72-year-old develops cognitive impairment following several strokes.
His cognitive functioning appears to decline in a stepwise pattern, and
examination reveals focal neurological abnormalities. Which diagnosis
is most consistent with the presentation?
A. Vascular neurocognitive disorder
B. Alzheimer's disease
C. Delirium
D. Somatic symptom disorder
Answer: A. Vascular neurocognitive disorder
Rationale: Vascular neurocognitive disorder may follow
cerebrovascular disease and can demonstrate a stepwise pattern of
deterioration, focal neurological signs, and prominent executive or
processing-speed deficits.
7.
An 80-year-old repeatedly states, “I don't know the answer,” despite
family members reporting that she performs poorly on memory tasks.
Her test performance is highly inconsistent, and she appears unusually
distressed by the possibility of dementia. What should the psychologist
do FIRST?
A. Diagnose malingering
B. Assume Alzheimer's disease
4
WITH QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
ANSWERS, PLUS DETAILED
RATIONALES/EXPERT VERIFIED FOR
GUARANTEED PASS 2026/LATEST
UPDATE/INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF
1.
A 78-year-old patient presents with gradually progressive difficulty
managing finances, remembering appointments, and navigating familiar
environments. His family reports that the changes developed over
approximately four years and have progressively worsened. He has no
acute fluctuation in attention or consciousness. Which feature most
strongly supports a neurocognitive disorder rather than delirium?
A. Impaired recent memory
B. Progressive course over several years
C. Difficulty with instrumental activities of daily living
D. Family concern about cognitive decline
Answer: B. Progressive course over several years
Rationale: A progressive decline over years is characteristic of a major
neurocognitive disorder, whereas delirium typically has an acute or
subacute onset with fluctuating attention and awareness. Although
impaired memory and functional decline are important, the temporal
course is the strongest distinguishing feature in this case.
2.
An 82-year-old hospitalized patient becomes disoriented overnight after
developing a urinary tract infection. During the morning he is relatively
attentive, but by evening he is severely confused, repeatedly attempting
1
,to leave the hospital, and unable to sustain attention. Which diagnosis is
most appropriate?
A. Major depressive disorder
B. Mild neurocognitive disorder
C. Delirium
D. Alzheimer's disease
Answer: C. Delirium
Rationale: Delirium is characterized by an acute disturbance in
attention and awareness accompanied by changes in cognition, often
fluctuating over the course of a day. Infection, hospitalization,
medications, dehydration, and metabolic abnormalities are common
precipitating factors in older adults.
3.
A psychologist evaluates an 85-year-old who reports forgetting
conversations but remains independent in medication management,
transportation, finances, and household responsibilities. Cognitive
testing reveals modest impairment that does not substantially interfere
with everyday independence. Which diagnosis is most consistent with
these findings?
A. Major neurocognitive disorder
B. Mild neurocognitive disorder
C. Delirium
D. Late-life psychosis
Answer: B. Mild neurocognitive disorder
Rationale: Mild neurocognitive disorder involves modest cognitive
decline that does not significantly interfere with independence in
everyday activities. The individual's preserved ability to manage
2
,complex instrumental activities of daily living is particularly important
in distinguishing mild from major neurocognitive disorder.
4.
Which cognitive profile is most characteristic of Alzheimer's disease in
its typical early presentation?
A. Early prominent episodic-memory impairment
B. Early severe behavioral disinhibition
C. Early isolated visuospatial impairment with preserved memory
D. Abrupt fluctuations in attention
Answer: A. Early prominent episodic-memory impairment
Rationale: Typical Alzheimer's disease initially produces prominent
impairment in learning and retaining new information, reflecting
dysfunction in medial temporal structures. Behavioral changes,
visuospatial deficits, and executive dysfunction may occur later or
become more prominent in atypical presentations.
5.
A 76-year-old has cognitive fluctuations, recurrent well-formed visual
hallucinations, REM sleep behavior symptoms, and parkinsonian motor
signs. Which neurocognitive disorder should be considered most
strongly?
A. Alzheimer's disease
B. Dementia with Lewy bodies
C. Frontotemporal neurocognitive disorder
D. Vascular neurocognitive disorder
Answer: B. Dementia with Lewy bodies
3
, Rationale: Dementia with Lewy bodies is particularly associated with
fluctuating cognition, recurrent visual hallucinations, REM sleep
behavior disorder, and spontaneous parkinsonism. The combination of
these features is highly characteristic.
6.
A 72-year-old develops cognitive impairment following several strokes.
His cognitive functioning appears to decline in a stepwise pattern, and
examination reveals focal neurological abnormalities. Which diagnosis
is most consistent with the presentation?
A. Vascular neurocognitive disorder
B. Alzheimer's disease
C. Delirium
D. Somatic symptom disorder
Answer: A. Vascular neurocognitive disorder
Rationale: Vascular neurocognitive disorder may follow
cerebrovascular disease and can demonstrate a stepwise pattern of
deterioration, focal neurological signs, and prominent executive or
processing-speed deficits.
7.
An 80-year-old repeatedly states, “I don't know the answer,” despite
family members reporting that she performs poorly on memory tasks.
Her test performance is highly inconsistent, and she appears unusually
distressed by the possibility of dementia. What should the psychologist
do FIRST?
A. Diagnose malingering
B. Assume Alzheimer's disease
4
