The Neuropsychiatric Mental Status Examination

The Neuropsychiatric Mental Status Examination is a guidebook for clinical psychiatric diagnosis. The title introduces the language, technique and concepts of the phenomenology. The first part of the text covers the basic phenomenology principles; the major areas of concern in mental health diagnosis; methodology for effective diagnosis of mental pathology. Part II elaborates the topics in Part I; this part develops and reinforces the techniques, phenomenological principles of diagnosis, diagnostic criteria. The second part also presents data which aid in the delineation of metal disorders. The book will be of great interest to students of behavioral science related degrees. The text will also serve professional psychologists and psychiatrists as a reference.

Developed from years of teaching psychiatry to medical students and residents, this comprehensive text devoted solely to describing the mental status examination (MSE) fills a void in the teaching literature and will be valuable to both students first learning about the MSE and seasoned clinicians seeking an informative reference. The introductory chapter offers basic advice on interviewing patients and eliciting information. Six major sections of the MSE follow and are thoroughly described with a chapter devoted to each: Appearance, Attitude, Activity; Mood and Affect; Speech and Language; Thought Content, Thought Process, and Perception; Cognition; and Insight and Judgment. Each chapter lists a detailed definition of reference for students describing their findings, and are an insightful review even for experienced practitioners. The clinical relevance of mental status abnormalities is illustrated through frequent examples of disorders that can cause the particular signs and symptoms defined in each chapter. A final chapter describing fictional case histories with hypothetical examples of written mental status reports will be particularly useful for those learning to write such reports. This text is an important addition to the libraries of students and practitioners who work with psychiatric patients and should help to simplify and organize a challenging task.

There are almost as many explanations for psychiatric disorders as there are patients with them. Each explanation is intriguing, some of them are systematic, all of them have intellectually powerful champions. Yet their very multitude is a scandal. It provokes the professionally debilitating challenge: Why does every psychiatric explanation satisfy some people and not others? Recently this question has received a simple answer. We cannot satisfactorily explain that which we lack the skill to describe. To develop the fundamental skill a student must see many patients under the direction of an experienced and involved instructor to whom he can show his results, accept correction and advance in his abilities. But we need a means to amplify the clinical experience, a text to supplement the instructor in bringing forth and strengthening the vocabulary needed to describe the phenomenology, presentations and distinctions amongst psychiatric patients. A "programmed text" such as this one is a satisfactory means because it can cover rapidly many themes and variations of a vast clinical experi ence. It can permit the reader to progress at his own speed but bring a sense of mastery to him as he progresses. He can check his knowledge as he sees patients on the clinical services. This kind of text combined with patient practice is thorough, fast and fun, but should succeed in the important task of rapidly building for the student an authentic set of terms and concepts suitable for both clinical work and research.

The ability to effectively assess cognitive and other behavioral functions is an essential skill for neurologists, psychiatrists, geriatricians, nurses, and other clinicians who perform clinic and bedside examinations. Unique in the field, The Mental Status Examination Handbook is a user-friendly, comprehensive resource that provides practical guidance on cognitive assessment, clarifies mental status testing procedures, and assists with decision making for neuropsychological referrals. This detailed manual draws from the full history of behavioral neurology testing, making the complex and challenging area of cognitive assessment accessible for both students and practitioners. Offers guidance on how to choose and perform a large number of mental status tests, with information on selected test materials and normative values. Covers the bedside evaluation of arousal, attention, memory, language, perception, executive abilities, and other cognitive and behavioral areas. Provides an authoritative assessment and compendium of commonly used mental status scales, inventories and questionnaires. Describes relevant correlations with formal neuropsychological testing, neuroimaging, and neuropsychiatric disease. Explains how to weigh, use, and understand mental status scales and neuropsychological instruments. Discusses the meaning of cognitive symptoms and signs, and their neuroanatomical and neuropathological correlations. Enhanced eBook version included with purchase. Your enhanced eBook allows you to access all of the text, figures, and references from the book on a variety of devices.

"Nurses, physicians, occupational therapists, psychologists, social workers, and many other professionals who work in the area of mental health and addictions complete mental status examinations as part of their job. Written at an introductory level, this practical and highly accessible workbook assists students and beginning practitioners in gaining the skills and knowledge needed to conduct a comprehensive psychiatric mental status exam. The varied selection of pedagogy--including case studies, activities, chapter glossaries, and study questions--reinforces the terms and concepts related to the key assessment areas. Functioning as a distinct unit, each chapter allows readers to pick and choose relevant material and lays the groundwork to help clinicians effectively assess for potential psychopathology, suicidal or homicidal ideation, and psychosis. This workbook breaks down the psychiatric mental status examination into manageable pieces that are more easily digested by the reader, and discussion questions relate specifically to unique cultural and age considerations."--

The ability to effectively assess cognitive and other behavioral functions is an essential skill for neurologists, psychiatrists, geriatricians, nurses, and other clinicians who perform clinic and bedside examinations. Unique in the field, The Mental Status Examination Handbook is a user-friendly, comprehensive resource that provides practical guidance on cognitive assessment, clarifies mental status testing procedures, and assists with decision making for neuropsychological referrals. This detailed manual draws from the full history of behavioral neurology testing, making the complex and challenging area of cognitive assessment accessible for both students and practitioners. Offers guidance on how to choose and perform a large number of mental status tests, with information on selected test materials and normative values. Covers the bedside evaluation of arousal, attention, memory, language, perception, executive abilities, and other cognitive and behavioral areas. Provides an authoritative assessment and compendium of commonly used mental status scales, inventories and questionnaires. Describes relevant correlations with formal neuropsychological testing, neuroimaging, and neuropsychiatric disease. Explains how to weigh, use, and understand mental status scales and neuropsychological instruments. Discusses the meaning of cognitive symptoms and signs, and their neuroanatomical and neuropathological correlations.

This book provides a comprehensive yet concise review of geriatric psychiatry in preparation for the board exam, or for reference during practice. Written by experts in the field, this text thoroughly reviews over 500 developmental, biological, diagnostic, and treatment questions for board certification. Unlike any other text on the market, this book takes a broader approach to the subject, making it accessible for physicians as well as other clinicians, including nurses, therapists, and social workers. Absolute Geriatric Psychiatry Review is an excellent resource for all clinicians who will care for the mental health of aging patients, including psychiatrists, neurologists, psychologists, therapists, nurses, social workers, nursing home administrators, and all others.

This book's 41 chapters are divided into five major sections. Following a comprehensive introduction to geriatric neuropsychiatry, the editors include detailed chapters about neuropsychiatric assessment; neuropsychaitric aspects of psychiatric disorders and neurological disease in the elderly; and principles of neuropsychiatric treatment.