NIHSS Group B Answer Key – Patients 1 through 6 with
Detailed Item Descriptors and Total Scores- Updated 2026
Patient 1
1a: 0 – Alert
1b: 1 – Answers one correctly
1c: 0 – Performs both tasks correctly
2: 0 – Normal gaze
3: 0 – No visual loss
4: 1 – Minor paralysis
5a: 0 – No drift (left arm)
5b: 4 – No movement (right arm)
6a: 0 – No drift (left leg)
6b: 3 – No effort against gravity; limb falls (right leg)
7: 0 – Absent ataxia
8: 1 – Mild-to-moderate sensory loss
9: 1 – Mild-to-moderate aphasia
10: 0 – Normal articulation
11: 1 – Inattention to one sensory modality
Total Score: 11
Patient 2
1a: 0 – Alert
1b: 1 – Answers one correctly
1c: 0 – Performs both tasks correctly
2: 0 – Normal gaze
3: 0 – No visual loss
4: 1 – Minor paralysis
5a: 0 – No drift (left arm)
5b: 0 – No drift (right arm)
6a: 0 – No drift (left leg)
6b: 2 – Some effort against gravity; limb cannot get to or maintain position (right leg)
7: 0 – Absent ataxia
8: 1 – Mild-to-moderate sensory loss
9: 0 – No aphasia
10: 1 – Mild-to-moderate dysarthria
11: 0 – No abnormality
Total Score: 5
Detailed Item Descriptors and Total Scores- Updated 2026
Patient 1
1a: 0 – Alert
1b: 1 – Answers one correctly
1c: 0 – Performs both tasks correctly
2: 0 – Normal gaze
3: 0 – No visual loss
4: 1 – Minor paralysis
5a: 0 – No drift (left arm)
5b: 4 – No movement (right arm)
6a: 0 – No drift (left leg)
6b: 3 – No effort against gravity; limb falls (right leg)
7: 0 – Absent ataxia
8: 1 – Mild-to-moderate sensory loss
9: 1 – Mild-to-moderate aphasia
10: 0 – Normal articulation
11: 1 – Inattention to one sensory modality
Total Score: 11
Patient 2
1a: 0 – Alert
1b: 1 – Answers one correctly
1c: 0 – Performs both tasks correctly
2: 0 – Normal gaze
3: 0 – No visual loss
4: 1 – Minor paralysis
5a: 0 – No drift (left arm)
5b: 0 – No drift (right arm)
6a: 0 – No drift (left leg)
6b: 2 – Some effort against gravity; limb cannot get to or maintain position (right leg)
7: 0 – Absent ataxia
8: 1 – Mild-to-moderate sensory loss
9: 0 – No aphasia
10: 1 – Mild-to-moderate dysarthria
11: 0 – No abnormality
Total Score: 5
