MSE

Question 1

Appearance

Answer 1

Profile - age, race, build Distinctive features Clothing Posture/gait Grooming/hygiene Evidence of self-harm

Question 2

Behaviour

Answer 2

Eye contact Facial expression Psychomotor activity Body language / gestures / mannerisms Level of arousal – calm / agitated / aggression Ability to follow requests Rapport / engagement

Question 3

Speech

Answer 3

Rate of speech – pressured / slowed Quantity of speech – minimal (e.g. only in response to questions) /excessive speech / complete absence of speech Tone of speech – monotonous / tremulous Volume of speech – loud / quiet Fluency and rhythm of speech – articulate / clear / slurred

Question 4

Mood

Answer 4

Subjective/ objective Affect (sad/agitated/hostile/ euphoric/animated) Normal, blunted, flat Labile

Question 5

Thought form

Answer 5

Speed – accelerated / racing / retarded Flow/ coherence: Linear – in a logical order Incoherent – makes no logical sense Circumstantial – lots of irrelevant/unnecessary details (not to the point) Tangential – the patient goes off on tangents relating loosely to the initial thought (flight of ideas) Perseveration – repetition of a particular response despite the absence/removal of the stimulus

Question 6

Thought content

Answer 6

Abnormal beliefs/ delusions Obsessions Overvalued ideas Suicidal thoughts Homicidal/violent thoughts Thought insertion Thought withdrawal Thought broadcasting

Question 7

Perception

Answer 7

Hallucinations Pseudo-hallucinations Illusions

Question 8

Cognition

Answer 8

Orientation (time/place/person) Attention and concentration Short-term memory Long test: AMTS or ACE-III

Question 9

Insight

Answer 9

Into condition + treatment