NIHSS

1a. Level of consciousness

0 alert

1 arousable to minor stimulation

2 requires repeated or noxious stimulation

3 comatose

1b. LoC Questions

0 answers both correctly

1 answers once correctly (or can’t speak other than due to aphasia)

2 both incorrect (including due to aphasia)

1c. LoC Commands

0 obeys both commands

1 one correct

2 both incorrect

2. Best Gaze

0 normal

1 partial gaze palsy

2 forced gaze deviation

3. Visual Fields

0 no visual field loss

1 partial hemianopsia

2 complete hemianopsia

3 bilateral hemianopsia (or bilateral blindness of any cause)

4. Facial Palsy

0 normal movement

1 minor paresis

2 partial paresis (limited to lower face)

3 complete paralysis (involving upper and lower face)

5a. Motor Left Arm

0 no drift

1 drift

2 some effort against gravity

3 no effort against gravity

4 no movement

Null - unable to test

5b. Motor Right Arm

0 no drift

1 drift

2 some effort against gravity

3 no effort against gravity

4 no movement

Null - unable to test

6a. Motor Left Leg

0 no drift

1 drift

2 some effort against gravity

3 no effort against gravity

4 no movement

Null - unable to test

6b. Motor Right Leg

0 no drift

1 drift

2 some effort against gravity

3 no effort against gravity

4 no movement

Null - unable to test

7. Limb Ataxia

0 absent

1 present in one limb

2 present in two or more limbs

Null - unable to test

8. Sensory

0 normal

1 partial loss

2 dense loss

9. Best Language

0 no aphasia

1 mild to moderate aphasia

2 severe aphasia

3 mute (or coma)

10. Dysarthria

0 normal

1 mild to moderate dysarthria

2 unintelligible or mute

11. Extinction and Inattention (formerly Neglect)

0 no abnormality

1 partial neglect (neglects one sensory modality)

2 complete neglect (neglects multiple sensory modalities)