TABLE 2-3 - BRIEF MENTAL STATUS EXAMINATION

Preliminary observations

State of consciousness (comatose, drowsy, alert)

Attentiveness

Mood and affect (?depressed, euphoric, indifferent, etc)

Thought content (?hallucinations, paranoia, delusions, etc)

Behavior (inapporpirate jocularity, rudeness, etc.)

Memory

Orientation to time and place

Digit span (a test of attentiveness)

Give patients 3 items to remember; require them to recall after three minutes of distracting tasks.

Other tests of recent memory: current age, recent events, presidents, etc.

Remote memory: old news events, childhood memories, addresses, etc.

Manipulation of knowledge (reasoning)

Proverb interpretations

Similarities (what is the same about a chair and a table, what are similarities between a tree and a blade of grass, etc)

Left hemisphere function

Gerstman's syndrome

Calculations

Writing

Right-left orientation

Finger identification (show me your ring-finger, etc)

Dysphasia testing: listen to spontantous speech: test naming. If both are normal and the patient comprehends instructions, no further testing needed. If not, then proceed to a more thorough evaluation, as outlined in the section on dysphasia.

Right henmisphere function

Map localization

Constructional dyspraxia (see text - this actually also tests left hemisphere function)

Observe for dressing apraxia, etc.

Further testing if indicated.