Glasgow Coma Scale

Eye response (E)

  1. No eye opening
  2. Eye opening in response to pain stimulus
  3. Eye opening to speech
  4. Eyes opening spontaneously

Verbal response (V)

  1. No verbal response
  2. Incomprehensible sounds
  3. Inappropriate words
  4. Confused
  5. Oriented

Motor response (M)

  1. No motor response
  2. Decerebrate posturing accentuated by pain
  3. Decorticate posturing accentuated by pain
  4. Withdrawal from pain
  5. Localizes to pain
  6. Obeys commands

Generally, brain injury is classified as:

  • Severe, with GCS < 8–9
  • Moderate, GCS 8 or 9–12 
  • Minor, GCS ≥ 13