THE Neurologic and Adaptive Capacity Score (NACS)
was developed to detect central nervous system depression
in term neonates exposed to intrapartum medications.1
It consists of 20 maneuvers arranged into two
subscales: adaptive capacity and neurologic evaluation.
The neurologic subscale is further divided into four parts
testing passive tone, active tone, primary reflexes, and
general neurologic status. Each of the 20 maneuvers is
assigned 0, 1, or 2 points depending on the infant’s
response. The maximum total score possible is 40.