MMSE MMSE Clinical Administration 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: During the MMSE writing task, what must the patient produce to receive credit?
- Any legible word
- A grammatically correct sentence with a subject and verb (Correct answer)
- A sentence of at least five words
- A complete paragraph
Correct answer: A grammatically correct sentence with a subject and verb
The patient must spontaneously write a complete, grammatically correct sentence containing a subject and a verb to receive 1 point.
Question 2: On the MMSE, what object is the patient asked to name for the language/naming task?
- A pen and a watch (Correct answer)
- A pen and a chair
- A book and a pencil
- A coin and a key
Correct answer: A pen and a watch
The standard naming task shows the patient a pencil (or pen) and a wristwatch, with 1 point each for correct identification.
Question 3: What is the phrase the patient is asked to repeat verbatim during the MMSE repetition task?
- No ifs, ands, or buts (Correct answer)
- One, two, three, go
- Neither here nor there
- If, and, or but
Correct answer: No ifs, ands, or buts
The patient must repeat 'No ifs, ands, or buts' exactly, earning 1 point only for a perfect, first-attempt repetition.
Question 4: In MMSE administration, which domain is tested between registration and recall to create a delay?
- Orientation
- Attention and calculation (Correct answer)
- Language tasks
- Visuoconstructional skills
Correct answer: Attention and calculation
Attention and calculation (serial 7s or WORLD backward) is administered between registration and recall to introduce an interference delay.
Question 5: How is the intersecting pentagons drawing task scored on the MMSE?
- Partial credit for any closed figure
- 1 point only if both pentagons are drawn with 5 angles each and two sides intersect (Correct answer)
- Scored 0–3 based on accuracy
- Scored on a 5-point scale
Correct answer: 1 point only if both pentagons are drawn with 5 angles each and two sides intersect
The copying task earns 1 point only when both pentagons have five angles each and two sides clearly intersect to form a four-sided figure.
Question 6: Which of the following is NOT a domain assessed by the MMSE?
- Orientation
- Abstract reasoning (Correct answer)
- Recall
- Registration
Correct answer: Abstract reasoning
Abstract reasoning (e.g., proverb interpretation or similarities) is not included in the MMSE; it is tested by tools like the MoCA.
MMSE MMSE Clinical Administration 2
During the MMSE writing task, what must the patient produce to receive credit?