New mental status exam detects mild impairment

The Saint Louis University Mental Status or “SLUMS” exam may be superior to the traditional Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) in detecting mild cognitive impairment, according to a report released this month.

The MMSE is widely used to screen for dementia, but it is limited in its ability to identify mild neurocognitive disorder, Dr. Syed H. Tariq and colleagues from St. Louis University School of Medicine in Missouri explain in their report.

Therefore, they compared the sensitivity and specificity of the SLUMS examination to the MMSE for detecting mild neurocognitive disorder and dementia in 705 participants.

They found that SLUMS was significantly better than MMSE for detecting mild neurocognitive disorder. The between-test differences were less marked for detecting dementia. The results were similar for participants with or without a high school education, the report indicates.

Animal naming, delayed recall, digit span, correct time on the clock drawing, and immediate paragraph recall measured by the SLUMS significantly discriminated normal patients from patients with mild neurocognitive disorder, the researchers note.

“The present analysis showed that the sensitivity and specificity appear similar for both SLUMS and MMSE in detecting dementia, but the SLUMS appeared to be possibly better than the MMSE for differentiating mild neurocognitive disorder from normal cognitive functioning,” the authors conclude.

SOURCE: American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, November 2006.

RELATED STORIES:
Single workout can lift mood in depressed patients   Hallucinogen in Mushrooms Creates Universal “Mystical” Experience   Many facing home foreclosure may have depression   Depression symptoms less likely in kids with accurate self-perceptions   Link Between Soldiers’ Alcohol Problems and Spouse Abuse Varies by Race   Hippocampal myo-inositol and cognitive ability in adults with Down Syndrome   Mental deficiency: Researchers identify gene mutations that affect learning, memory in children   Study Identifies Those Elderly Most at Risk for Major Depression   ‘Green spaces’ tied to better health   Depression in the Elderly Is Complicated but Treatable   Impact of Anxiety on Cardiac Patients   Improved Foster Care Reduces Risk of Adult Mental and Physical Illness   No Direct Link Between Panic Attacks, PTSD   PTSD less common than depression and alcohol misuse amongst UK troops   Parkinson’s Disease Medication Triggers Destructive Behaviors

Comments

[ + Post Your Own ]

Now you're in the public comment zone. What follows is not Armenian Medical Network's stuff; it comes from other people and we don't vouch for it. A reminder: By using this Web site you agree to accept our Terms of Service. Click here to read the Rules of Engagement.

There are no comments for this entry yet. [ + Comment here + ]