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Mental Status Examination

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Psychiatric Disorders Late in Life

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Abstract

Along with history, the mental status exam is an essential component of a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation of an older adult. Many aspects of the exam are similar across younger and older patients. However, the provider evaluating an older adult needs to be aware that older adults may be more likely to experience sensory impairments, have physical health issues that can contribute to fatiguing more easily, and generally have slower information processing compared with younger adults, all of which may impact the exam. Additionally, the cognitive evaluation of an older adult compared with a younger adult generally requires a more extensive assessment because of higher risk and occurrence of neurocognitive disorders with aging. This section will review the approach to the mental status exam in an older adult.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA

    Ali Abbas Asghar-Ali M.D.

  2. Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA

    Lisa L. Boyle M.D., M.P.H.

  3. William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA

    Lisa L. Boyle M.D., M.P.H.

Authors
  1. Ali Abbas Asghar-Ali M.D.
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  2. Lisa L. Boyle M.D., M.P.H.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ali Abbas Asghar-Ali M.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Professor of Psychiatry, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Vice Chairman for Education and Faculty Development, Residency Program Director and Chief of Geriatric Psychiatry, MetroHealth, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

    Rajesh R. Tampi

  2. Executive Vice President, Clinical Services, Diamond Healthcare, Richmond, Virginia, USA

    Deena J. Tampi

  3. Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health Program Director, Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship, Madison, Wisconsin, USA

    Lisa L. Boyle

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Asghar-Ali, A.A., Boyle, L.L. (2018). Mental Status Examination. In: Tampi, R., Tampi, D., Boyle, L. (eds) Psychiatric Disorders Late in Life. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73078-3_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73078-3_10

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-73076-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-73078-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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