Mental Status Exam
 

Mood

 
 
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On this page:HappinessReactivity of MoodIrritabilityStability of Mood

Overview

  • Mood is the patient's subjective assessment of their emotional status.
  • Ask about their mood, and whether they have been happy or sad over recent months.

Happiness

    • Interpretation

    • Euphoria / Ecstatic / Elevated mood: exaggerated positive moodMania, intoxication
    • Euthymia: normal mood, neither depressed nor elevated.
    • Dysphoria: feelings of sadness.Classically associated with depression

Reactivity of Mood

    • Interpretation

    • Reactive mood - mood brightens when good events occur.Normal behaviour
    • Non-reactive mood - mood does not brighten at all, even when very good events occur.Associated with depressive disorder

Irritability

  • Explosive - outbursts of anger that are disproportionate to the situation.
  • Irritable - agitation with minimal stimulus.
  • Calm - lack of agitation.

    • Causes of Irritability

    • Stress
    • Anxiety
    • Depression
    • Mania
    • Delirium
    • Dementia
    • Psychosis
    • Intoxication
  • Assessment of irritability is more useful in the context of assessing risk than for diagnosis.

Stability of Mood

  • Stable: mood does not fluctuate
  • Labile: mood fluctuates spontaneously, with time of day or with environment

    • Causes of Labile Mood

    • Mania
    • Depression
    • Psychosis
    • Borderline personality disorder
    • Delirium
    • Post-stroke disorder
 
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