Mental State Examination Flashcards
what is an MSE?
this is an objective assessment based on observations during the consultation
what does the MSE consist of?
appearance behaviour speech mood affect thought perception cognitive function insight
appearance parts of the MSE
age gender race body habitus grooming attire posture gait movements (tics) evidence of injury or illness smell
behaviour parts of the MSE
eye contact rapport agitation disinhibition suspicious
speech aspects of the MSE
rate amount (pressured or monosyllabic) tone delay volume
what is mood?
subjective
how the patient feels today (weather)
what is affect?
observation of patient during consultation
consider baseline and extent of variation
ability to put on a mask
climate/season
what does thought consist of?
- control (form and flow)
2. content
what can go wrong with thought control?
passivity phenomena
disorder of form of thought
what can go wrong with thought content?
delusions
delusion theme
what is passivity phenomena?
behaviour is experienced as being controlled by an external agency e.g. thought insertion, made actions and feelings
what are some examples of disorders of flow of thought?
flight of ideas
loosening of associations
neologism
what is flight of ideas?
words associated together inappropriately because of meaning or rhyme
jump from topic to topic
what is loosening of associations?
speech is muddled with jumps from topic to topic with no logical connection (Knight’s move thinking)
what is neologism?
patient makes up a new word or uses existing words in a bizarre way
what is a delusion?
false belief that is inappropriate for patient’s socio-cultural background
what is are delusion themes?
in depression about disease, poverty, guilt
in schizophrenia about control
in mania about grandiosity
what can go wrong in perception?
hallucinations
what is a hallucination?
perception which occurs in the absence of external stimuli
experienced as originating in real space and not subject to manipulation
types of hallucinations/ sensory modalities
- auditory
- visual
- olfactory
- gustatory
- somatic
types of auditory hallucinations
- second person= directly addresses the patient
- third person= discusses the patient or provides running commentary of actions
- thought echo
types of visual hallucinations
simple (flashes of light)
complex (face or figure)
examples of somatic hallucinations
bodily sensations e.g. insects crawling or being touched
three aspects of cognitive function
- orientation to time, place and person
- concentration
- memory
