The Glasgow Scale is used to measure the initial severity of a brain injury. It was developed in Glasgow, England and has gained widespread acceptance. Many studies have shown that the lower the initial score, the poorer the long term prognosis is.

Eye Opening Response
Spontaneous - open with blinking at baseline .......4 points
To verbal stimuli, command, speech .......................3 points
To pain only (not applied to face) ..............................2 points
No response .................................................................1 point

Verbal Response
Oriented .........................................................................5 points
Confused conversation, but able to answer
questions .......................................................................4 points
Inappropriate words .....................................................3 points
Incomprehensible speech ..........................................2 points
No response ..................................................................1 point

Motor Response
Obeys commands for movement ..............................6 points
Purposeful movement to painful stimulus ...............5 points
Withdraws in response to pain...................................4 points
Flexion in response to pain
(decorticate posturing) .................................................3 points
Extension response in response to pain (decerebrate posturing)........................................................................2 points
No response ..................................................................1 point

Categorization:
Coma: No eye opening, no ability to follow commands,
no word verbalizations..............................................3-8 points

Head Injury Classification: Severe Head Injury.......................................................GCS score of 8 or less
Moderate Head Injury............................. GCS score of 9 to 12
Mild Head Injury.....................................GCS score of 13 to 15