title: A retrospective analysis of the sentence writing component of the Mini Mental State Examination: cognitive and affective aspects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  One of the components of the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) is the request to write a sentence. We investigated the relationship between the characteristics of the written sentence of the MMSE and the cognitive and affective status of elderly patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The characteristics of the sentence were compared to the total MMSE score, sociodemographic characteristics, tests evaluating cognition and affective status, and diagnoses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of words was significantly associated with the degree of cognitive impairment, whereas the emotional polarity of sentences and concerns about health were associated with depression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Characteristics of the MMSE sentence may provide important additional information regarding both cognition and affect when assessing older people.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel. yanp@bgu.ac.il
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Press
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Velikiy
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berzak
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tandeter
authors.forename: Roni
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Peleg
authors.forename: Tamar
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Freud
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Punchik
authors.forename: Tzvi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dwolatzky
mesh_terms: D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000381:Agraphia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods; D006236:Handwriting; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D016743:Mental Competency; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012189:Retrospective Studies