Mini-Mental Status Examination
Info
Orientation (10 points, 1 point each)
☐What is the date?
☐What is the day?
☐What is the month?
☐What is the year?
☐What is the season?
☐What is the name of this building?
☐What floor of the building are we on?
☐What city are we in?
☐What state are we in?
☐What country are we in?
Registration (3 points; 1 point each).
☐Apple
☐Table
☐Pen
~Attention/Calculation (5 points; 1 point for each correct answer). Ask 1 of the items below
Starting at 100, subtract 7, then subtract 7 from that number and so forth - Stop at 5 answers (1 point for each correct answer)
☐93
☐86
☐79
☐72
☐65
If the patient is unable or unwilling to do serial 7's then ask them to Spell 'World' backwards (1 point for each letter in correct order)
☐d
☐l
☐r
☐o
☐w
~Recall (3 points; 1 point for each correct answer)
Ask patient to recall the 3 items they memorized above (in registration)
☐Apple
☐Table
☐Pen
~Language (Naming) (2 points; 1 point for each correct answer)
Show patient a pencil and a watch, have them tell you the name of each of these 2 items
☐Pencil
☐Watch
~Language (Repeating) (1 point)
Repeat "No ifs, ands or buts" Yes No
~Language (Read/Follow command) (1 point)
Have patient read "Close your eyes" after being told to read and obey the statement (patient needs to read statement and close eyes to score 1 point) Yes No
Language (Following 3 stage command)
☐Take a piece of paper in your Right hand
☐Fold it in half
☐Put it on the floor
~(Read the full statement below before handing the respondent a piece of paper. Do not repeat or coach) I'm going to give you a piece of paper. What I want you to do is take the paper in you right hand, fold it in half and put the paper on your lap.
~Language (Write sentence) (1 point)
Have patient write a sentence (1 point for writing a full sentence) (Must be from the patient's own thoughts; not dictated to them) Correct Incorrect
Here is a drawing. Please copy the drawing on the same piece of paper Yes No
R e s u l t s
~Attention/Calculation (5 points; 1 point for each correct answer). Ask 1 of the items below
 
---
 
~Recall (3 points; 1 point for each correct answer)
 
---
 
~Language (Naming) (2 points; 1 point for each correct answer)
 
---
 
~Language (Repeating) (1 point)
 
---
 
~Language (Read/Follow command) (1 point)
 
~(Read the full statement below before handing the respondent a piece of paper. Do not repeat or coach) I'm going to give you a piece of paper. What I want you to do is take the paper in you right hand, fold it in half and put the paper on your lap.
 
~Language (Write sentence) (1 point)
 
---
 
Result
 
Show Results
Info
Mini-Mental Status Examination

The Mini Mental Status Exam (MMSE) is an excellent tool for assessment of cognitive function. It is commonly utilized in both the initial assessment of cognition and to track changes in function overtime (especially in patients with dementia).

30 points are possible, with 24 points or less being considered significant dysfunction in patients who are well educated and 20 points or less in patients who are not well educated.

Orientation (10 points; 1 point each)

  • What is the year?
  • What is the season?
  • What is the date?
  • What is the day of the week?
  • What is the month?
  • What country are we in?
  • What city are we in?
  • Where within the city are we at now?
  • What is the address (number) we are at?
  • What is the name of the street we are on?

Registration (3 points; 1 point each)

  • Name 3 objects (e.g. apple, pen, table)
  • Have patient immediately name all 3 items [Scoring based upon number immediately repeated, 1 point each]
  • Repeat these items until patient learns all 3 items (for future use in the MMSE later)

Attention/Calculation (5 points; 1 point for each correct answer)

Ask 1 of the items below

  • Starting at 100, subtract 7, then subtract 7 from that number and so forth (answers 93,86,79,72,65) - Stop at 5 answers [1 point for each correct answer]
  • If the patient is unable or unwilling to do serial 7's then ask them to Spell "World" backwards [1 point for each letter in correct order]

Recall (3 points; 1 point for each correct answer)

  • Ask patient to recall the 3 items they memorized above (in registration)

Language (Naming) (2 points; 1 point for each correct answer)

  • Show patient a pencil and a watch, have them tell you the name of each of these 2 items

Language (Repeating) (1 point)

  • Repeat "No ifs, and or buts"

Language (Following 3 stage command) (3 points; 1 point for each stage)

  • Have patient follow 3 stage command
  • First have a piece of paper available and ask them to "Take a piece of paper in your Right hand, fold it in half and put it on the floor"

Language (Read/Follow command) (1 point )

  • Have patient read "Close your eyes" after being told to read and obey the statement (patient needs to read statement and close eyes to score 1 point)

Language (Write sentence) (1 point)

  • Have patient write a sentence (1 point for writing a full sentence) (Must be from the patient's own thoughts; not dictated to them)

References:

Cockrell JR, et al. Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). Psychopharmacology 1988;24:689-92. 

Crum RM, et al. Population-based norms for the mini-mental state examination by age and educational level. JAMA 1993;18:2386-2391.Folstein MF, et al. Mini-Mental State: A practical method for grading the state of patients for the clinician. Journal of Psychiatric Research. 1975;(12):189-198. http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/working_with_people_with_dementia/Primary_care/Dementia_diagnosis_and_management_in_primary_care/mmse.html