title: Cognitive assessment of the medical patient.
abstract: Cognitive assessment is the clinical examination of higher mental functioning. A structured and logical approach leads the clinician to identify specific functional deficits and patterns of dysfunction. This allows accurate diagnosis, which is vital to identify treatable disorders and quantify the nature of decline in irreversible conditions. This article defines common terms in use, suggests a logical deductive procedure and discusses screening tools.
authors.affiliation: Barrow Hospital, Barrow Gurney, Bristol.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Arnott
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Neubauer
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D003663:Decision Trees; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008128:Logic; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010808:Physical Examination; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales