In adults, what does the Motor Response score of 6 indicate?

In adults, what does the Motor Response score of 6 indicate?

• A. Withdraws from painful stimulus
• B. Localizes painful stimulus
• C. Decorticate (abnormal flexion) response to painful stimulus
• D. Follows simple commands

Answer: (D)

On the Glasgow Coma Scale, the motor portion runs from 1 to 6, with 6 indicating the best possible motor response. A score of 6 means the patient can follow simple commands—showing they understand and can execute a request, such as squeezing your fingers or complying with a command like “move your toes.” This reflects intact higher-level brain function and appropriate responsiveness to spoken instruction. In contrast, withdrawing from pain is a reflexive action and yields a lower score, localizing pain is purposeful but more focused and still lower than command following, and decorticate posturing is an abnormal, atypical movement pattern signaling more severe brain injury and a lower score. Thus, following simple commands best represents the motor response score of 6.

On the Glasgow Coma Scale, the motor portion runs from 1 to 6, with 6 indicating the best possible motor response. A score of 6 means the patient can follow simple commands—showing they understand and can execute a request, such as squeezing your fingers or complying with a command like “move your toes.” This reflects intact higher-level brain function and appropriate responsiveness to spoken instruction.

In contrast, withdrawing from pain is a reflexive action and yields a lower score, localizing pain is purposeful but more focused and still lower than command following, and decorticate posturing is an abnormal, atypical movement pattern signaling more severe brain injury and a lower score. Thus, following simple commands best represents the motor response score of 6.