Cognitive Assessment Tools

NEW COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT TOOL

The Mental Status Questionaire(MSQ) and the Mini Mental Status Examination(MMSE) have been used to assess cognitive impairment in elders for many years. Researchers at St Louis University have developed a new tool(Saint Louis University Mental Status Examination- or SLUMS).

They tested more than 700 men over 60 and found that SLUMS was more successful at identifying those with early dementia. Each of these tools can be used but should be complimented by clinical observation and assessment along with appropriate neuropsychological testing.

Read an article in the November, 2006 issue of the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

Following is the new assessment tool(SLUMS).