On the motor response scale, a score of 5 indicates which response?

• A. Withdraws (flinches)
• B. Localizes pain (goes after it)
• C. Flexion (Decorticate)
• D. Obeys commands

Answer: (B)

In the Glasgow Coma Scale, the motor response reflects how a patient moves in response to stimuli. A score of five means the patient localizes pain—that is, they purposefully move a limb toward the source of the painful stimulus to identify or remove it. This shows deliberate, goal-directed movement and indicates a higher level of neurological function than a simple withdrawal. By contrast, a withdrawal from pain without locating it is a score of four, abnormal flexion (decorticate) is three, extension (decerebrate) is two, and obeying commands is the best motor response with a higher score. In practice, recognizing that five equals localizing pain helps you assess the patient’s current neurological status and track changes.