Behavioural Neurology (Jan 2010)
The NIHSS-Plus: Improving Cognitive Assessment with the NIHSS
Abstract
Background: The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) has been criticized for limited representation of cognitive dysfunction and bias towards dominant hemisphere functions. Patients may therefore receive a low NIHSS score despite a fairly large stroke. A broader scale including simple cognitive tests would improve the clinical and research utility of the NIHSS.