Mini-mental state examination 1585251 224983908 2008-07-11T08:58:29Z Adam78 36204 /* External links */ + hu: The '''mini-mental state examination''' ('''MMSE''') or '''Folstein test''' is a brief 30-point questionnaire test that is used to assess [[cognition]]. It is commonly used in [[medicine]] to screen for [[dementia]]. In the time span of about 10 minutes it samples various functions including [[arithmetic]], [[memory]] and [[orientation (mental)|orientation]]. It was introduced by Folstein ''et al'' in [[1975]],<ref name=Folstein>{{cite journal |author=Folstein MF, Folstein SE, McHugh PR |title="Mini-mental state". A practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician |journal=Journal of psychiatric research |volume=12 |issue=3 |pages=189–98 |year=1975 |pmid=1202204 |doi=10.1016/0022-3956(75)90026-6}}</ref> and is widely used with small modifications. This test is not the same thing as a [[mental status examination]]. Various other tests are also used, such as the Hodkinson<ref>{{cite journal |author=Hodkinson HM |title=Evaluation of a mental test score for assessment of mental impairment in the elderly |journal=Age and ageing |volume=1 |issue=4 |pages=233–8 |year=1972 |pmid=4669880 |doi=10.1093/ageing/1.4.233}}</ref> [[abbreviated mental test score]] (1972, [[geriatrics]]) and longer formal tests for deeper analysis of specific deficits. ==The test== [[Image:InterlockingPentagons.svg|right|framed|Interlocking pentagons used for the last question]] The MMSE test includes simple questions and problems in a number of areas: the time and place of the test, repeating lists of words, arithmetic, language use and comprehension, and basic motor skills. For example, one question asks to copy a drawing of two pentagons (shown on the right).<ref name=Folstein/> ==Interpretation== Any score over 27 (out of 30) is effectively normal. Below this, 20-26 indicates mild dementia; 10-19 moderate dementia, and below 10 severe dementia. The normal value is also corrected for degree of schooling and age.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Crum RM, Anthony JC, Bassett SS, Folstein MF |title=Population-based norms for the Mini-Mental State Examination by age and educational level |journal=JAMA |volume=269 |issue=18 |pages=2386–91 |year=1993 |month=May |pmid=8479064 |doi= |url=}}</ref> Low to very low scores correlate closely with the presence of [[dementia]], although other mental disorders can also lead to abnormal findings on MMSE testing. The presence of purely physical problems can also interfere with interpretation if not properly noted; for example, a patient may be physically unable to hear or read instructions properly, or may have a motor deficit that affects writing and drawing skills. ==Copyright issues== With the significant popularity of the test, the current MMSE [[copyright]] owner Psychological Assessment Resources (PAR) decided, after many years, to start enforcing the copyright and set-up a website to sell official versions of the test.<ref name=powsner>{{cite journal |author=Powsner S, Powsner D |title=Cognition, copyright, and the classroom |journal=The American journal of psychiatry |volume=162 |issue=3 |pages=627–8 |year=2005 |pmid=15741491 |doi=10.1176/appi.ajp.162.3.627-a | url=http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/162/3/627-a}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Mini-Mental State Examination. Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc. | url=http://www.minimental.com/ | accessdate=2006-06-22}}</ref> The enforcement of the copyright on the MMSE has been compared to stealth [[patent]]s, where a patent holder waits until an invention gains widespread popularity until commencing enforcement.<ref name=powsner/> The enforcement of the copyright has led to researchers looking for alternative strategies in assessing cognition.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Holsinger T, Deveau J, Boustani M, Williams JW |title=Does this patient have dementia? |journal=JAMA |volume=297 |issue=21 |pages=2391–404 |year=2007 |month=June |pmid=17551132 |doi=10.1001/jama.297.21.2391 |url=http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/297/21/2391}}</ref> ==References== {{Reflist|2}} ==See also== *[[Mental status examination]] *[[Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly]] (IQCODE) ==External links== * [http://www.fpnotebook.com/NEU71.htm FPnotebook page on interpretation] * [http://www.tufts-nemc.org/psych/mmse.asp MMSE scores by age and education] - [[Tufts University]]. [[Category:Psychiatry]] [[Category:Cognitive tests]] [[Category:Neuropsychological tests]] [[Category:Memory tests]] [[Category:Geriatrics]] [[de:Mini-Mental-Status-Test]] [[fr:Mini Mental State]] [[ja:ミニメンタルステート検査]] [[hu:Mini Mental Teszt]] [[no:Mini Mental Status]] [[sv:Mini Mental Test]] [[vi:MMS]]