A Glasgow Coma Scale score of 15 indicates what level of brain function?

• A. Severe brain injury
• B. Normal
• C. Moderate impairment
• D. Brain death

Answer: (B)

The Glasgow Coma Scale quantifies consciousness by summing responses in three areas: eye opening, verbal response, and motor response. Each area has a maximum score, and adding them gives the overall level of consciousness. A perfect total of 15 occurs when all three responses are at their best: eyes open spontaneously (4), verbal response is fully oriented and coherent (5), and motor response shows purposeful movement or follows commands (6). So a score of 15 means there is no detectable impairment in these functions—normal brain function, the person is fully awake and responsive. Lower scores reflect increasing impairment, with very low scores indicating deep coma; brain death is a separate state and would not yield a 15.