Health Dictionary
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Abbreviated mental test score
Introduction
Overview
Overview
The abbreviated mental test score (AMTS) was introduced by Hodkinson in 1972 to rapidly assess elderly patients for the possibility of dementia. Its uses in medicine have become somewhat wider, e.g. to assess for confusion, although it has mainly been validated in the elderly.
The following questions are put to the patient. Each question correctly answered scores one point. A score of less than 6 suggests dementia, although further and more formal tests are necessary to confirm the diagnosis.
An alternative to the AMTS is the 30 point mini-mental state examination (MMSE).
| Question | Score |
|---|---|
| What is your age? | Â |
| What is the time to the nearest hour? | Â |
| Give the patient an address, and ask him or her to repeat it at the end of the test | Â |
| What is the year? | Â |
| What is the name of the hospital or number of the residence where the patient is situated? | Â |
| Can the patient recognize two persons (the doctor, nurse, home help, etc.)? | Â |
| What is your date of birth? | Â |
| In which year did the First World War begin (adjust this for a world event the patient would have known during childhood)? | Â |
| What is the name of the present monarch (head of state, etc.)? | Â |
| Count backwards from 20 down to 1. | Â |
References
References
- Hodkinson HM. Evaluation of a mental test score for assessment of mental impairment in the elderly. Age Ageing 1972;1:233-8. PMID 4669880.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]