Mini-mental state examination

Question 1

Scores

Answer 1

Score

ORIENTATION (max. score 10)

• What is the year, month, day, date and season? /5
• Where are we now?
• Street no, road, suburb, city, state. /5

REGISTRATION (max. score 3)

• Ask patient to remember 3 items that you name. /3
• Name 3 objects (e.g. orange, camel, table).
• Repeat 5 times or until all learned and ask to recall them after each time.
• Only score on first attempt (one mark each).

ATTENTION AND CALCULATION (max. score 5)

• Ask pt. to count backwards by several 7s from 100. /5
• (Stop after 5 times) OR
• spell ‘WORLD’ backwards.

RECALL (max. score 3)

• Ask pt. to recall the 3 objects above.
• 1pt/word recalled. /3

Question 2

Scores

Answer 2

Score

LANGUAGE (max. score 3)

• Show two objects (point to watch then pen).
• What’s this? /2
• Ask to repeat ‘NO IFS, ANDS or BUTS’ /1

THREE STAGE COMMAND (max. score 3)

• Give pt. a blank sheet of paper
• and say ‘take this paper in your right hand,
• fold it in half, and put it on the floor’. /3

READING (max. score 1)

• On a blank piece of paper write
• ‘CLOSE YOUR EYES’. /1
• Ask pt. to read it and do what it says.
• Score 1 if obeys.

WRITING (max. score 1)

• Ask pt. to write a complete sentence.
• Score 1 point if it has a noun and a verb. /1

COPYING (max. score = 1)

Question 3

Scores

Answer 3

Draw intersecting pentagons /1

• and ask pt. to copy the drawing.
• 1 point if all 10 angles present and the two figures intersect.

Question 4

GUIDE:

Answer 4

Total /30

18–24

• probable mild dementia

10–17

• probable moderate impairment

<10

• severe impairment