Week 9 - Mental Screening Flashcards
What is a Mental State Examination (MSE)?
An objective assessment of a person’s current mental state, conducted through observation of appearance, behavior, and communication.
List three clues to a poor mental state observed in physical health.
Obesity, poor oral care, and jaundice.
Name the standard elements of an MSE.
Appearance, behavior, conversation, affect, perception, cognition, insight, judgment, and rapport.
What are perceptual disturbances?
Hallucinations, illusions, depersonalization, derealization, and dissociation.
What is the difference between a true hallucination and a pseudo-hallucination?
True hallucinations are perceived as coming from outside the head, while pseudo-hallucinations are felt to originate within the mind.
What does cognitive testing aim to detect?
Organic brain syndromes and cognitive deficits.
What are the three types of time-related memory?
Immediate (registration).
Short-term.
Long-term memory.
List four aspects of age-related cognitive decline.
Memory loss, reduced problem-solving ability, decreased concentration, and impaired judgment.
What are the “four D’s” that aren’t dementia?
Delirium, depression, damaged brain, and developmental delay.
Name a mental status exam commonly used for cognitive assessment.
The Mini Mental Status Exam (MMSE) or Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).
When should we worry about dementia?
When there is memory loss disrupting daily life, difficulty with familiar tasks, confusion with time or place, and new problems with words or judgment.
What is the significance of “insight” in mental health assessment?
Insight is a person’s understanding of their mental condition and its impact, crucial for assessing risk and treatment engagement.
Describe “judgment” in a mental health context.
Judgment is the ability to make appropriate decisions, based on weighing information and anticipating consequences.
What are the dangers to consider when testing for dementia?
Visual/hearing impairments, improper administration, medication side effects, and alternative conditions (like the “six D’s”).
How does normal age-related memory decline differ from dementia?
Age-related memory loss is a slower, non-progressive decline without disrupting daily functions, while dementia is progressive and impairs independence.
