Mini-Mental State Examination scores: gender and lifetime psychiatric disorders.

The Mini-Mental State Examination was taken by 862 subjects from the general population, all born in 1931 and 55 to 57 years of age at the time of the study. These responses were analyzed in detail to obtain normative data for the test, and comparisons were made between the members of the group who had lifetime histories of psychiatric disorder and those who did not. Comprehensive comparisons were also made of the geometric diagram included in the test with the aim of finding nonpathological variations within correct geometric drawings. Apart from providing normative data, findings show a difference in the final score for the sexes, depending on whether Serial 7s are chosen or a word is spelled backwards. The men received a higher score on Serial 7s and the women a higher score on spelling a word backwards. A pretest choice is recommended in that the Serial 7s be selected for men, but omitted for women. Both gender differences and a psychiatric diagnosis correlate with the naming of two digits in a MMS subscore category.