II. Definitions

  1. Attention
    1. Attends for short periods of time despite minor stimuli
  2. Concentration
    1. Attends for longer periods of time

III. Exam

  1. Random Letter Test
    1. Examiner says each letter (one at a time): "S-A-V-E-A-H-A-A-R-T"
    2. Patient raises finger for each of the 4 A's
  2. Digit Span Test
    1. Patient repeats a series of numbers (start with 3 numbers, then 4 numbers, then 5 numbers and then 6 numbers)
    2. Three digits: 7-8-3 (or 5-4-7)
    3. Four digits: 7-9-6-2 (or 4-8-2-5)
    4. Five digits: 6-3-8-1-7 (or 9-4-6-2-1)
    5. Six digits: 4-8-3-9-7-2 (or 6-2-4-1-3-9)
    6. Seven digits: 8-9-2-6-4-1-7 (or 3-1-4-2-6-9-5)
    7. Eight digits: 7-1-9-2-8-3-5-4 (or 6-4-3-9-2-5-7-1)
  3. Other tests (which also test Executive Function)
    1. Serial 7s
    2. Serial 3s
    3. Spell WORLD Backwards

IV. Interpretation

  1. Significant deficits in attention are typically of organic cause
  2. Anxiety or Psychosis-related interrupted thoughts may also affect attention

VI. References

  1. Zum, Swaminathan and Egan in Herbert (2014) EM:Rap 14(7): 11-13
  2. Tomb (1992) Psychiatry, 4th Ed, Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore, p. 6-11

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