During a bedside cognitive assessment, a patient is asked to draw a series of five-pointed stars. After completing the first star correctly, he continues drawing additional star points well beyond the outline, unable to stop the pen even when reminded the task is complete. Before revealing the answer: is this motor perseveration?

Yes. This is motor perseveration: a goal-directed physical action (drawing star points) continuing well past the point at which it has already achieved its purpose, and persisting despite a direct reminder that the task is complete — exactly the pattern the phenomenon's own recognition features describe. Testing with a simple repeated drawing task like this is a classic bedside way of eliciting motor perseveration when it is not already obvious from spontaneous behaviour.