MENTAL STATUS EXAMINATION

Question 1

_______ is the total expression of a person’s emotional response, mood, cognitive functioning.

Answer 1

Mental status

Question 2

True/False
The mental status portion of the neurologic examination is assessed
continuously throughout the entire interaction with a patient.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

In general, for most psychiatric complaints you should ask the __________ questions to guide your HPI. Then ask more specific questions depending on patient’s presentation

Answer 3

“SIG E CAPS”

Question 4

Questions to ask for:
Disorientation and confusion

Answer 4

Ask patient to describe onset, duration, associated symptoms, and medications taken

Question 5

Questions to ask for:
Depression

Answer 5

Explore troubling thoughts or feelings of the patient, recent cause of grief, and feelings of harming self

Question 6

Questions to ask for:
Anxiety

Answer 6

1) Assess the patient for sudden, unexplained attacks of intense fear, or panic for no apparent reason
2) Also assess for the patient’s interactions with others

Question 7

Questions to ask for:
Mania

Answer 7

Use the “DIG FAST” questions

Question 8

Questions to ask for:
Psychosis

Answer 8

Delusions, Hallucinations, disorganized speech/behavior

Question 9

Questions to ask for:
Past Medical and Family History

Answer 9

Ask about personal of family history of neurological disorders, psychiatric hospitalization/counseling

Question 10

Questions to ask for:
Personal and Social History

Answer 10

Emotional status, life goals, relationship with family, and use of alcohol or illicit drugs

Question 11

Examination and Findings
What 3 things to look for with Physical Appearance and Behavior

Answer 11

(a) Grooming
(b) Emotional status
(c) Body language

Question 12

Examination and Findings
State of consciousness

Answer 12

Oriented to person, place, and time – gives appropriate responses to questions, physical and environmental stimuli

Question 13

State of consciousness
Person disorientation indicates

Answer 13

Cerebral trauma, seizures, amnesia

Question 14

State of consciousness
Place disorientation indicates

Answer 14

Psychiatric disorders, delirium, and cognitive impairment

Question 15

State of consciousness
Time disorientation indicates

Answer 15

Anxiety, delirium, depression, cognitive impairment

Question 16

What test is this?
Standardized, brief screening tool (takes about 10 minutes to administer) to assess cognitive function and to detect changes over time
-Consists of 11 items measuring, orientation, registration, attention and calculation, recall, and language

Answer 16

Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE or Folstein Test)