Neuropsychiatric assessment Flashcards
What tools are there to assess someone with suspected dementia’s mental state?
Mini mental state examination
Mental state questionnaire
Dementia rating scale
Many more
What does the mini mental state exam test?
Cognitive function
Language
Repitition abilities
Reaction to vocal or written instructions
What are the problems with the mini-mental state exam?
The normal result in this test will be different for different levels of education and different cultures
Patients sometimes practice the test so they get a better score than they should
In what circumstances would you use the mini-mental state exam?
Maybe as a GP, if someone presented with memory loss or other symptoms characteristics of dementia
Used to test things like dementia, rather than acute confusion
In what situations would you use the mental state questionnaire?
On wards, in A+E, to assess if someone is confused
What does the mental state questionnaire test?
Awareness of self and surroundings
Things like:
- what is the name of this town
- what is your address
- what is you DOB
- what month is it
- who is the prime minister
etc.
If you are a GP and you see a patient who performs poorly on the mini mental state exam, what should you do?
Refer to a more specialised centre
Where they will do specific tests on each function which was examined only briefly in the MMSE
