What does a motor response (GCS) score of 2 suggest?

A motor response score of 2 on the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) indicates that the patient exhibits abnormal extension in response to painful stimuli, often referred to as decerebrate rigidity. This type of motor response is a sign of serious brain dysfunction.

When a patient demonstrates decerebrate posturing, their arms and legs extend, and the body becomes rigid in response to a stimulus such as painful pressure. This is indicative of severe brain injury and suggests a serious impairment in the functioning of the brain pathways that mediate motor response and consciousness.

It's essential to recognize that lower scores on the GCS, such as 2, suggest more severe impairment compared to higher scores, which correlate with more appropriate or purposeful reactions to stimuli. The options reflecting lighter responses or no identifiable response, such as the patient fully withdrawing from pain or reacting normally to painful stimuli, would not correspond to a score of 2.