The mental state examination

Abstract

The chapter outlines traditional categories used to capture the current condition of a patient’s state of mind such as appearance and behaviour, mood, speech, thought content, abnormal beliefs and experiences. It suggests questions to ask and how to organize the material. The chapter encourages a descriptive approach in which examples from the interview are recorded to help future reference and help other clinicians make judgements as to significance. Guidance is also given on examining the cognitive state and interpreting intelligence. Further advice is offered on examining the mental state in the elderly, particularly interpreting cognitive impairment using scales–the Addenbrookes’ Cognitive Examination, the Mini-Mental State Examination, and the Abbreviated Mental Test .