What do we test with a full mental status assessment?

Neuro

I. Components of a Full Neurological Exam (5 of them below)

2. Mental Status exam-know the components of a complete Mental status assessment and how to test for each- review book and PPP

What do we test with a full mental status assessment?
- what is abstract reasoning -know some examples in every day life -we are not really talking about food when we say something is “as easy as pie” or “it’s a piece of cake” but both mean something is easy to do. A concrete thinker would take this literally. These are hard to translate into another language.
- What is cognition or mentation?
Glasgow Coma Scale What does it test?
- decerebrate and decorticate posture in coma
What are the 3 responses tested with this scale? (do not have to memorize the actual numbers for each, but know the cumulative number that = a coma & normal)

3. Cranial Nerves (CNs) –they are all in the head and neck-names & numbers and how to test each of them.

4. Motor system

Muscle bulk, strength, tone & involuntary movements (think of someone with spastic (Cerebral Palsy) or flaccid (after a stroke) atonic movements
Cerebellar function
- Coordination -how to test upper & lower extremities
  - RAMS-several ways to assess-see text
  - Point to point- intention tremor
  - Balance, gait,
    - toe/heel, tandem walking(think of a person who is really drunk and how they might walk)-know terms for abnormal gait
    - Romberg test -know what it tests & how it is performed

5. Sensory system–how to test the sensory nerves? Are they “intact”=functioning

senses of pain, dull/sharp, light touch (do not have to memorize the pathways)
vibration sense, position sense (loss of sensation with diabetes-peripheral neuropathy, MS, +)
tactile discrimination =fine touch (stereognosis, graphesthesia, 2-point discrimination)
proprioception-position sense what is that and how do we test?

6. Reflexes

Clonus test-what is it and why do we test? (not a reflex, but often tested with them)
Deep Tendon Reflexes (DTRs)
- need to review the reflex arc to understand this
- Know the names & locations of reflexes (they are related to tendons)
- Numerical rating for reflex response
Superficial Reflexes
- Plantar or Babinski-what is abnormal? How to test
- Abdominal & cremasteric -not on exam