Which term denotes impaired ability to acquire new information while other cognitive functions are intact?

• A. Amnestic Disorder
• B. Fund of Knowledge
• C. Vocabulary
• D. Calculation Ability

Answer: (A)

This question targets a memory problem focused on new learning while other mental functions stay intact. An amnestic disorder describes difficulty encoding and consolidating new information (anteriorly focused memory impairment) with preserved attention, language, executive function, and existing knowledge. In this scenario, a person struggles to acquire fresh information, but their existing cognitive abilities and prior knowledge remain unaffected, which is the hallmark of an amnestic disorder.

Fund of Knowledge refers to the breadth of long-term knowledge a person has accumulated, which would be disrupted if overall memory or knowledge systems were impaired, not specifically new learning. Vocabulary and Calculation relate to language and numerical skills, respectively; deficits there point to language or math disorders rather than a selective memory encoding problem.