Mental Status Exam

Question 1

MSE: appearance and behavior

Answer 1

objective description of patient. should be able to identify patient based on the description.
characteristics, apparent age, physical stigmata, dress/grooming, posture, facial expression etc

Question 2

MSE: psychomotor activity

Answer 2

amount and type of movement- retardation/agitation

bradykinesia/akathisia/catelepsy (waxy)/cataplexy (narc)

Question 3

Speech

Answer 3

quantity/quality/rate

pressured speech/aphasia (receptive and expressive) expressive/receptive

Question 4

Mood

Answer 4

pervasive and sustained emotion, subjectively reported

Question 5

Affect

Answer 5

outward expression of mood, objectively observed.

intensity, constricted, appropriateness (congruent to mood?)

Question 6

Thought Process

Answer 6

normal- linear, abnormal- tangential, circumstantial, flight, loose, word salad

Question 7

thought content

Answer 7

hallucinations (false sensory perception NOT associated with external stimuli), delusions, illusions, recurring themes, suicidal/homicidal ideation
hypnagogic hallucinations (falling asleep), hypnopompic (waking up)

Question 8

sensorium/intellectual functioning

Answer 8

consciousness, orientation, attention and concentration, memory, abstraction (vs concrete, spilt milk), fund of knowledge

Question 9

insight

Answer 9

do you know you’re ill?

Question 10

judgement

Answer 10

make/carry out plans, behave appropriately?