A free 7-minute cognitive screen from Saint Louis University. Get the official form and training video.
The Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) Exam screens adults 60 and older for mild cognitive impairment and dementia. It has 11 items and 30 points, covering orientation, memory, attention and executive function, and takes about 7 minutes.
SLU offers the exam free to health care and social service professionals. Watch SLU’s training video before you give it, and review it once a year.
The points for each answer are printed on the form, for a total out of 30. Use the cut-offs for normal, mild neurocognitive disorder and dementia printed on SLU’s official form. A screen isn’t a diagnosis. Refer anyone with a low score, or with new memory changes, to their physician.
Sources. Saint Louis University, SLU Mental Status Exam. Tariq SH, Tumosa N, Chibnall JT, Perry HM 3rd, Morley JE. Comparison of the Saint Louis University Mental Status Examination and the Mini-Mental State Examination for detecting dementia and mild neurocognitive disorder: a pilot study. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2006;14(11):900-910. The SLUMS was developed by Saint Louis University with the Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center at the St. Louis VA Medical Center. We link to the official form with SLU’s permission rather than reproducing it. Holsman Physical Therapy is not affiliated with these organizations, and they do not endorse this website.
The Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) Exam is an 11-item, 30-point screening test for mild cognitive impairment and dementia. It checks orientation, memory, attention and executive function, with tasks such as animal naming, digit span, clock drawing and story recall. It takes about 7 minutes.
Yes. Saint Louis University offers the SLUMS free to health care and social service professionals, who should watch SLU’s training video before giving it and review it each year.
Trained health care and social service professionals, including physical and occupational therapists, nurses, physicians and nurse practitioners. It is designed for adults 60 and older.
Points are printed on the form, for a total out of 30. The cut-offs for normal, mild neurocognitive disorder and dementia depend on whether the person finished high school, so use the cut-offs printed on SLU’s official form.
Saint Louis University asked that clinicians use its official form and video. We link to them so you always have the current version.
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