This post is intended to outline the commonly used measures for patient assessment. Please post in this thread the measures you are using with any linking documents and I will add them to this page.
Mini-Mental Status Exam (MMSE): PMID: 1202204
Brainchild of Marshal F. Folstein, this test is a simple 11 section cognitive function test that scores the patient on a 30 point scale. Scores are scaled for the patient's education level, age, and other diseases. Patients are assessed based on: delayed recall of words, simple subtraction, orientation to date and time, orientation to current location, naming of common objects shown to patient, repetition of sentences given to patient, ability to obey written commands without prompt, ability to copy a complex drawing of 2 pentagons, spontaneous generation of a written sentence on a piece of paper, and ability to follow a complex 3 step command.
*Its long and widespread use has made this test the cornerstone of a basic examination for memory problems (dementia). It's copyright has been enforced by Psychological Assessment Resources (PAR) and it is no longer permissible to reproduce this test on material other than PAR authorized examination sheets. However there are many other general use measures that are scaled directly to this and can be used without license.
Modified Mini-Mental Status Exam (3MS): PMID: 3611032
Created by Teng EL and Chui HC as a direct response to the Mini-Mental status exam, in or before 1987, this is a general use 15 section exam that gives two scores, one of which is scaled to 30 to match a Mini-Mental assessment, the other is scaled to 100 to increase the granularity of the assessment. This test is widely used in lew of the MMSE because of its public domain copyright. The extra 4 sections added to the MMSE are: date & place of birth recall for patient, spontaneous generation of 10 animals with 4 legs, similarities between 3 concepts, and a second prompt of the 3 item recall at the end of the test. The test increases the granularity by offering "partial credit" for the MMSE items. Ex. MMSE pentagons are worth 1/1 pt, 3MS pentagons are worth 10/10 with points being awarded for individual pentagon shape and quality of intersection.
Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES): PMID: 1754629
Pioneered by Robert S. Marin during the emergence of the concept of Apathy vs. Depression, this is an 18 point scale that is used to measure the subject's apathy (lack of motivation). Exam is fairly subjective in that the accuracy of the measure directly correlates to the amount of knowledge the clinician knows of the patient's culture, education, home-life, friends and medical history. This test works very well if you can have a caregiver(wife, girlfriend, children, friend) present to help achieve a larger picture of the subject's true condition. Subjects are scored from 18 to 72 with higher numbers being more apathetic.
