Mental Status Examination Flashcards
What is the definition of “mental status”?
Total expression of a person’s emotional responses, mood, cognitive function, and personality
A person’s mental status is closely linked to what other neurological process?
Executive functioning
What neurological functions are processed in the frontal lobe?
Speech formation, emotions/affect, drive, awareness of self, short-term memory, goal-oriented behavior
What neurological functions are processed in the parietal lobe?
Sensory perception, spatial sense and navigation
What neurological functions are processed in the temporal lobe?
Perception/interpretation of sounds, Wernicke’s area, integration of behavior, emotion, personality, long-term memory
What neurological functions are processed in the limbic system?
Survival behaviors, reactions to emotions and expression by affect linked to the frontal lobe
What characterizes dementia?
Deteriorating cognition, behavior, and functional independence
Dementia is usually related to what kind of brain change?
Structural disease, usually atrophy
Dementia affects 3-11% of adults over what age?
65
What is the DEMENTIA mnemonic for its causes?
Drugs/toxins, endocrine, metabolic/mechanical, epilepsy, nutrition/nervous system, tumor/trauma, infection, arterial
How is delirium different from dementia?
Delirium is an ACUTE confusional state accompanied by a disorder of PERCEPTION (SUDDEN, FLUCTUATING, REVERSIBLE)
What factors can affect the mental status examination (MSE)?
Culture differences, educational backgrounds, language barriers
How long does the mini mental status examination take?
10 minutes
What are the components of the MMSE?
Orientation, immediate/short-term memory, concentration, arithmetic ability, language, praxis (learning)
What is the traditional threshold score for the MMSE?
23 or greater (scores 0-23 argue strongly for a dementia diagnosis)
Why is it important for chiropractors to do MSEs?
Emotional/behavioral changes are often the first sign of organic brain disease, and we see them more frequently than other providers
Does a poor score on the MSE mean that the patient is not competent with activities of daily living?
NO (could have a high school and have difficulty with normal daily activities and vice versa)
What are the limitations of the MSEs?
1 interpretive bias 2 false-negative rates high 3 demographics and culture issues 4 less sensitive
Where should the MSE be included in our patient’s report?
Neurology section of narrative history
Does the MMSE require a separate CPT code?
NO; it is considered a component of the neurological portion
