Mini-Mental State Examination
Also written as: MMSE — Mini-Mental State Examination
A brief cognitive screening tool used to assess mental status and detect cognitive impairment.
Full Definition
The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is a widely used, standardized cognitive screening instrument that provides a quantitative assessment of cognitive status in adults. The 30-point test evaluates orientation, registration, attention and calculation, recall, and language abilities. Originally developed to screen for dementia, the MMSE is now used in various clinical and research settings to track cognitive changes over time and assess the severity of cognitive impairment. Scores below 24 typically indicate cognitive impairment.
Usage
Usage note: Capitalize all words in the full name; commonly abbreviated as MMSE.
In Context
- "The patient scored 18 out of 30 on the Mini-Mental State Examination, suggesting moderate cognitive impairment." — Cognitive assessment report
- "Annual Mini-Mental State Examination scores were used to monitor disease progression in the longitudinal study." — Research methodology section