A multimodality recording system was used in 14 ventilated patients with closed head injury to assess the potential use of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in the neurointensive care unit. Signals of intracranial pressure, cerebral perfusion pressure, peripheral oxygen saturation, jugular venous saturation, and NIRS-derived changes in the chromophores of oxy- and deoxyhemoglobin were digitized and recorded. After a review of 886 hours of continuous monitoring, 376 hours were considered free from artifact and were entered for final analysis. In nine of the patients 38 events were recorded that demonstrated clear changes in cerebral perfusion pressure accompanied by hemodynamic changes in middle cerebral artery flow velocity (transcranial Doppler) and cortical perfusion (laser Doppler flowmetry). Near-infrared spectroscopy showed correlated changes in 37 events (97%) whereas jugular venous saturation monitoring registered only 20 (53%). There was associated peripheral oxygen desaturation in eight cases (21%), intracranial hypertension in 10 (26%), and cerebral hyperemia in eight (21%). The remaining 12 events (32%) appeared to be complex changes of uncertain origin. Iatrogenic factors were identified as causative in 14 cases (37%). The potential application of NIRS in adults and the importance of using multiple parameter recording systems in the interpretation of cerebral events are discussed.