Exam

Memory Evaluation

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Memory Evaluation, Memory Exam, Immediate Memory, Short Term Memory, Long Term Memory

  • See Also
  1. Mental Status Exam
  2. Appearance, Behavior and Attitude Exam
  3. Attention and Concentration
  4. Higher Integrative Function (Executive Function, Intellectual Function)
  5. Thought Process ( Thought Content, Thought Form, Delusion, Obsession, Abstract Thought)
  6. Speech Exam
  7. Affect Examination
  8. Insight and Judgement
  9. Orientation Exam
  10. Perception Exam ( Misperception, Illusion, Hallucination)
  • Indication
  1. Dementia Evaluation
  2. Delirium Evaluation
  • Exam
  • Immediate Memory
  1. See Digit Span Test (digit repetition)
  2. Repeat 3 words
  3. Name the months backwards
  4. Interrupted counting
    1. Patient counts from 1 to 100
    2. Examiner interrupts at 27 and asks patient to wait 1 minute and then restart counting (at 27)
    3. Examiner interrupts at 42 and asks patient to wait 3 minutes and then restart counting (at 42)
  5. Constructional ability
    1. Copy 2 shapes (e.g. a diamond and a 3 dimensional cube)
    2. Clock Drawing Test
  • Exam
  • Short Term Memory Testing (Recent memory)
  1. Three word recall at 5 minutes (or Three minute Delay Recall)
    1. Consider clues and prompts
  2. Thirty minute Delay Recall and Past Events
  3. How did you come to the hospital (e.g. car, Ambulance)?
  • Exam
  • Medium to Long Term Memory Testing (Remote memory)
  1. Name four presidents in the last 100 years?
  2. History of forgetting what is expected to be familiar
    1. Lose things
    2. Leave food cooking on stove
    3. Lost in familiar neighborhoods
  • Interpretation
  1. Memory Loss or impaired construction ability suggests organic cause
  • References
  1. Zum, Swaminathan and Egan in Herbert (2014) EM:Rap 14(7): 11-13
  2. Tomb (1992) Psychiatry, 4th Ed, Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore, p. 6-11