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Mental status tests
Alternative Names: Memory; Word comprehension; Orientation; Attention span; Cognitive tests Normal Values: Orientation to person, place, and time Normal attention span Intact recent memory Intact remote memory Normal word comprehension, reading, and writing Intact judgment What abnormal results mean: Each test can identify different possible problems, as described below. Text Continues Below ORIENTATION Typically, orientation to time is first to be lost, then orientation to place, then to person. There are many possible causes for disorientation: Alcohol intoxication Low blood sugar Head trauma or concussion Fluid and electrolyte imbalance Nutritional deficiencies -- particularly lack of niacin, thiamine, vitamin C, or vitamin B-12 Hyperthermia (fever) Hypothermia -- a drop in body temperature can cause sudden confusion Hypoxemia -- chronic pulmonary disorders can produce persistent confusion Environmental (such as heat stroke, heavy metal poisoning, hypothermia, or methanol intoxication) Drugs (such as atropine, chloroquine, cimetidine, CNS depressants in large doses, cycloserine, oral digitalis medicines, indomethacin, lidocaine, withdrawal from narcotics and barbiturates) Organic brain disease ATTENTION SPAN If you are unable to complete a thought, or are easily distracted by other stimuli, you may have an abnormal attention span. This may have a number of causes. A few examples are: Attention deficit disorder (ADD) Confusion Manic depressive illness Histrionic personality disorder Schizophrenia Page:  1 | 2 | Next >>