Journal of Neurology and Psychology
Research Article
Expert Perspectives on the Management of Stroke, Migraine, Dementia, and Cognitive Disorders in Indian Settings
Manjula S1* and Krishna Kumar M2
1Department of Medical Services, Micro Labs Limited, Bangalore,
Karnataka, India
2Department of Medical Services, Micro Labs Limited, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
2Department of Medical Services, Micro Labs Limited, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
*Address for Correspondence:Dr Manjula S, Department of Medical Services, Micro Labs Limited, Bangalore, India, E-mail Id: drmanjulas@gmail.com
Submission: July 30, 2026
Accepted: September 10, 2026
Published: September 14, 2026
Copyright: ©2026 Manjula S, et al. This is an open access article
distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which
permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is properly cited.
Keywords:Ischemic Stroke; Nicergoline; Post-Stroke Rehabilitation;
Migraine; Alzheimer’s Disease; MCI.
Abstract
Objective: To assess current clinical practice patterns among
Indian clinicians in the diagnosis and management of neurological
disorders, including stroke, migraine, dementia, and mild cognitive
impairment (MCI), with a particular focus on nicergoline use, treatment
preferences, rehabilitation strategies, diagnostic approaches, and
clinician-reported treatment outcomes.
Methods: This cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey was conducted among clinicians across India to assess clinical practice patterns in neurological disorders, with emphasis on nicergoline use, treatment preferences, rehabilitation strategies, and cognitive assessment. Data from both the main and extended studies were analysed using descriptive statistics.
Results: A total of 212 clinicians participated in the main survey. Of these, 92 clinicians additionally completed 15 questions constituting the extended survey. Ischemic stroke was reported as the most frequently encountered type of stroke in routine clinical practice by 74% of clinicians. Approximately 61% of respondents preferred prescribing nicergoline for 6–12 weeks following stroke, while nearly 70% favored a dosage of 30 mg twice daily. Nearly 69% identified the combined influence of genetic predisposition, peripheral triggers, and stress as the major contributors to migraine pathogenesis. Furthermore, 62% considered the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) or other neuropsychological assessment tools essential for evaluating patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Nearly 60% of clinicians reported that comprehensive post-stroke rehabilitation should include physical, speech, and cognitive rehabilitation in combination with pharmacological therapy, such as nicergoline. In the NICE Extended Study, 73% of clinicians identified alcohol as the major risk factor for young-onset dementia, while approximately 61% preferred donepezil as the first-line treatment for patients with MCI and dementia.
Conclusion: The findings demonstrate widespread use of nicergoline in stroke rehabilitation and vascular dementia, emphasize the importance of MMSE and other neuropsychological assessments for cognitive evaluation, identify major clinician-perceived risk factors for migraine and young-onset dementia, and indicate a preference for donepezil as first-line therapy for MCI and dementia
Methods: This cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey was conducted among clinicians across India to assess clinical practice patterns in neurological disorders, with emphasis on nicergoline use, treatment preferences, rehabilitation strategies, and cognitive assessment. Data from both the main and extended studies were analysed using descriptive statistics.
Results: A total of 212 clinicians participated in the main survey. Of these, 92 clinicians additionally completed 15 questions constituting the extended survey. Ischemic stroke was reported as the most frequently encountered type of stroke in routine clinical practice by 74% of clinicians. Approximately 61% of respondents preferred prescribing nicergoline for 6–12 weeks following stroke, while nearly 70% favored a dosage of 30 mg twice daily. Nearly 69% identified the combined influence of genetic predisposition, peripheral triggers, and stress as the major contributors to migraine pathogenesis. Furthermore, 62% considered the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) or other neuropsychological assessment tools essential for evaluating patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Nearly 60% of clinicians reported that comprehensive post-stroke rehabilitation should include physical, speech, and cognitive rehabilitation in combination with pharmacological therapy, such as nicergoline. In the NICE Extended Study, 73% of clinicians identified alcohol as the major risk factor for young-onset dementia, while approximately 61% preferred donepezil as the first-line treatment for patients with MCI and dementia.
Conclusion: The findings demonstrate widespread use of nicergoline in stroke rehabilitation and vascular dementia, emphasize the importance of MMSE and other neuropsychological assessments for cognitive evaluation, identify major clinician-perceived risk factors for migraine and young-onset dementia, and indicate a preference for donepezil as first-line therapy for MCI and dementia