Mental Status Exam Terms (83) Flashcards
Abstract reasoning
Ability to understand and conceptualize complex concepts
Thinking about ideas that are symbolic, comparative, or hypothetical
Acute Dystonic Reaction
Sustained Contraction of the musculature of the trunk or limbs (usually in the head & neck area) is most often medication-induced or caused by a stress reaction characterized by pain and stiffness. Also known as “tension myositis syndrome.” It is often accompanied by other physical symptoms such as fatigue, sleep disruption, disturbed digestion, headaches, and psychological symptoms such as anxiety and depression. Treatment typically involves cognitive-behavioral therapy, exercise and relaxation techniques, and medications.
Affect
The external expression of emotion visible to the clinician
1) Are the client’s responses & body language devoid of emotion?
2) Are their responses hyper-emotional?
3) Do the client’s responses change dramatically through the interview?
4) Are the responses appropriate to the client’s situation or what they are saying?
5) Does the client have poor eye contact?”
Akathisia
Motor restlessness, often localized to the muscles.
It ranges from a feeling of inner disquiet to an inability to sit or lie quietly, often secondary to neuroleptic medication. It can be treated with anticholinergic drugs, beta-blockers, and sedatives. Long-term therapy should begin with lifestyle modifications such as physical relaxation exercises or yoga to address the underlying causes of anxiety or tension. Counseling is also important to help manage emotions, stress, and life challenges that may contribute to motor restlessness.
Akinesia
Lack of physical movement, extreme immobility,
Alexithymia
Constricted emotional life, diminished ability to fantasize, & a virtual inability to articulate emotion.
Amnestic Disorder
- development of memory impairment
- causes impairment in social or occupational functioning
- due to pathology, substance-induced
Anhedonia
Inability to perceive or experience pleasure
Anterograde Amnesia
Inability to remember events after a specific point in time. It is a form of memory loss that can happen after an event, such as a blow to the head or a stroke. It affects your ability to remember new information and experiences, making it difficult to learn or recall new information. Symptoms include difficulty learning and recalling new facts, names, words, dates, events, and memories. Treatment includes cognitive-behavioral therapy
Appearance
Refers to the physical presentation of the client
May be noted as:
- well groomed
- immaculate
- unkempt
- thin/overweight
- descriptions of clothing and accessories (ex. wearing coat on warm day; dressed in professional attire)
- descriptions of notable features like tattoos or scars
Athetoid
Slow, continual movements
Movements may be automatic or purposeless. These movements include the body rolling from side to side, writhing hands or feet, or fingers curling or uncurling. Though they look as though they are voluntary movements, but are involuntary motions due to an underlying neurological disorder.
Behavior
Refers to the attitude the client presents with during interview
May be noted as:
- cooperative
- open
- engaged
- withdrawn
- hostile
- shy
- resistant
- defensive
- relaxed
Bizarre
Patently absurd, with no possible basis in fact.
Blocking
Blocking occurs when a speaker stops talking before they have reached their communication goal, leaving the other person with incomplete information and unable to respond. This can be done intentionally or unintentionally, but it is still a hindrance to effective communication. Blocking can take many forms, including changing topics without warning and providing too much detail on irrelevant points.
Broca’s Aphasia
1) Slow speech, hard to speak, but what they get out makes sense.
2) Word comprehension is intact & they may be able to nod or shake their head appropriately.
3) Repetition is impaired.
4) Reading is fair to good, writing is often impaired.
5) The location of the lesion is the posterior inferior frontal lobe.
Catalepsy
Wax-like responsiveness is where the client remains in any posture in which s/he is placed, even when unsupported physically by the therapist, for long periods. This is seen in clients who are severely depressed or have neurological damage, which can signify catatonia. The client may also maintain whatever facial expression s/he is wearing at the time, regardless of what emotions they might be feeling.
Catatonia
Two of the following:
1) Motoric immobility
2) Motor activity that is excessive & purposeless
3) Verbal or physical tics
4) Strange posture & movement
Catatonic Excitement
Agitated, purposeless motor activity, uninfluenced by external stimuli
Catatonic Posturing
Voluntary assumption of an inappropriate or bizarre posture
Catatonic Rigidity
Voluntary assumption of rigid posture held against all efforts to be moved
Catatonic Stupor
Markedly slowed motor activity, often to the point of immobility & seeming unawareness of surroundings
Choreiform
Rapid movements are rapid, jerky, nonrepetitive movements that often occur in the face, arms, and legs. They may be caused by certain diseases, such as Huntington’s disease or drug toxicity. Treatment can involve medications such as anticonvulsants, antipsychotics, and dopamine agonists to reduce movements.
Circumstantial
Marked by unnecessary details but eventually reaches the point
Clang Associations
Words or phrases are connected due to the characteristics of the words themselves (rhyming) rather than the meaning they convey. They are a type of sound-based mental association that involve linking words together due to their similar sounds rather than the ideas they represent. For example, “bee” could be linked with “knee” because they both contain the same long “e” sound.
Components of the MSE
1) General Appearance, Behavior & Attitude
2) Level of Consciousness & Orientation
3) Speech & Language
4) Mood & Affect
5) Thought Process, Content, & Perceptions
6) Memory & Cognition
7) Insight & Judgment
Compulsion
The irresistible urge to act on obsessive thoughts or impulses is characterized by an uncontrollable urge to perform certain actions, often repetitively. These are usually driven by anxiety or fear and can interfere with day-to-day functioning. Typical behaviors might include checking items multiple times, counting objects for no reason, washing hands excessively, or repeating phrases in one’s head.
Confabulation
A common symptom of various neurological and psychological disorders, including chronic alcoholism and dementia. It can manifest as the individual unconsciously making up answers to cover up memory impairment. In these cases, confabulation is an adaptive behavior that allows the person to feel more secure and comfortable in their environment by filling in “gaps” in their memory with plausible information.
Congruent
Client’s mood or thoughts matches their situation or feelings
Déjà Vu
A feeling that one has experienced a situation before, even though one hasn’t, and not usually pathological.
Delerium (Acute Confusional State)
-Clouding of consciousness
-Client is inattentive, incoherent, disoriented
-Confusion is worse at night when environmental stimuli are decreased
-Disturbance of consciousness, change in cognition that develops over a short period of time
-Can be due to a general medical condition or substance-induced
Delusion
1) Fixed, false beliefs that have no basis in reality
2) Not generally held by one’s culture
3) The client will not be dissuaded, despite evidence to the contrary.
Dementia
1) This is a general term for loss of memory, language, problem-solving, & other thinking abilities
2) It is severe enough to interfere with daily life
3) Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia
Depersonalization
A type of hallucination in which a person perceives their body as unreal, floating, dead, or changing in size.
