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Mental Status Examination 1

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Mental Status Exam

Mental status is the total expression of a person’s emotional responses, mood, cognitive function, and personality
It is closely linked to the individual’s executive functioning, i.e. motivation, initiative, goal formation, planning and performing, self-monitoring, and integration of feedback
The MSE is one component of an exam and may be viewed as the psychological equivalent of the physical exam
It is an important component to a neurological evaluation
Mental Status Exam: Outline
Appearance
Motor Behaviors & Skills
Speech
Affect
Thought Content
Thought Processes
Perception
Intellect
Insight
Mini-Mental Status Exam
MSE: Appearance (Observed)
Age
Sex, Race
Build
Position & Posture
Eye Contact
Dress
Grooming …show more content…

(Thought Withdrawal) inserting thoughts into your head? or perhaps (Thought Insertion)
Does it ever seem like your own thoughts are broadcast out loud? (Thought Broadcast)
MSE: Thought Processes (Observed)
Associations
Coherence
Logic
Stream of thought
Clang Associations
Perseveration
Neologisms
Blocking
Attention & Vigilance
MSE: Perception (Inquired)
Hallucinations
Illusions
Depersonalization
Derealization
Questions to check Perception
Hallucinations
Do you ever see (visual), hear (auditory), smell (olfactory), taste (gustatory), and feel (tactile) things that are not really there, such as voices or visions?” (Hallucinations are false perceptions)
Illusions
Do you sometimes misinterpret real things that are around you, such as muffled noises or shadows?”(Illusions are misinterpreted perceptions)
MSE: Orientation (Inquired/Observed)
What is the time ?
What is the date today?
What is the month going on?
What is the year going on?
Which season is this?
In which country we live in?
In which place we are sitting?
On which floor we are?
MSE: Attention & Concentration (Inquired/Observed)
(Serial 7’s) “Starting with 100, subtract 7 from 100, and then keep subtracting 7 from that number as far as you can go.”
Ask the patient to tell names of week days in backward direction
MSE: Memory (Inquired)
Recent Memory
What is my name?
What medications did you take today?
What time was your appointment with me for today?
Remote Memory

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