Which statement best describes remote memory in the mental status examination?

Which statement best describes remote memory in the mental status examination?

• A. Recall of recent events from the past day.
• B. Recall of non-personal facts.
• C. Recall of personal history and long-term past.
• D. Memory for short sequences of digits.

Answer: (C)

Remote memory is the portion of memory that stores personal history and long-term past information. In a mental status exam, you assess it by asking about autobiographical details—where you were born, childhood experiences, long-standing biographical facts, and significant life events. This is different from recalling recent events from the past day (recent memory) or remembering short sequences like digits (short-term/working memory), and it’s distinct from non-personal facts (semantic memory). So the statement that best describes remote memory is recall of personal history and long-term past.

Remote memory is the portion of memory that stores personal history and long-term past information. In a mental status exam, you assess it by asking about autobiographical details—where you were born, childhood experiences, long-standing biographical facts, and significant life events. This is different from recalling recent events from the past day (recent memory) or remembering short sequences like digits (short-term/working memory), and it’s distinct from non-personal facts (semantic memory). So the statement that best describes remote memory is recall of personal history and long-term past.