* Orientation: Knowing the date, month, year, day of the week, place (city, state, country).
* Registration: Repeating named objects immediately after they are presented.
* Attention and Calculation: Serial 7s subtraction (or spelling "world" backward)
* Recall: Remembering the objects named earlier.
* Language: Following a three-stage command, naming objects, repeating a phrase, reading and writing.
Important Considerations:
* Screening, not diagnosis: The MMSE is a screening tool; a low score suggests the possibility of cognitive impairment, but it doesn't provide a diagnosis. Further evaluation is always necessary.
* Limitations: It's affected by factors like education level, language proficiency, and cultural background. A person with low literacy might score lower than their actual cognitive abilities suggest. It's also not sensitive to all types of cognitive impairment.
* Variations: There are variations and adaptations of the MMSE, but the core elements remain the same.
While it's widely used and relatively simple, the MMSE has limitations and should be interpreted cautiously. It should be part of a comprehensive cognitive assessment, not used in isolation to make diagnostic decisions. Other cognitive tests and clinical evaluation are necessary for a thorough assessment.