SLUMS
Also written as: SLUMS — Saint Louis University Mental Status examination
Saint Louis University Mental Status examination - a cognitive screening tool designed to detect mild cognitive impairment and dementia.
Full Definition
The Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) examination is a 30-point cognitive screening instrument developed to identify mild cognitive impairment and early dementia. It includes items assessing orientation, memory, attention, executive function, and visuospatial skills. The SLUMS is considered more sensitive than the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) for detecting mild cognitive impairment, particularly in patients with higher education levels. Scoring is adjusted for educational attainment, with different cutoff scores for high school education versus less than high school education. The test takes approximately 7-10 minutes to administer.
Usage
Usage note: Always specify the full name on first use as the acronym may be unfamiliar.
In Context
- "The SLUMS score of 25 suggested mild cognitive impairment in this college-educated patient." — Cognitive assessment
- "We administered the SLUMS rather than MMSE due to its superior sensitivity for early cognitive changes." — Assessment methodology