Simplified Motor Scales (SMS) refer to neurological assessments that are designed to provide meaningful, objective predictive assessment of an individual.

Many limitations of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) have been reported, including the complexity and difficulty of use in aphasic, intubated and pediatric patients. Accordingly, many researchers have made a major effort to improve and modify the scale to make it more applicable and easier to interpret in these settings.

In 2012, the Simplified Motor Scale (SMS) for the assessment of coma patients in various traumatic and non-traumatic settings was reported in the literature. Study results show that the effectiveness of the SMS is similar to that of the GCS assessment in predicting various outcomes, including functional scores, need for tracheal intubation and hospitalization. However, the data concerning the prediction of mortality seem to be inconsistent across studies.

Nevertheless, there is little difference between the two scores in these studies, according to a study published in Annals of Emergency Medicine in 2014, indicating that SMS is an effective tool in this regard with acceptable test results: GCS and its components ranged from 0.76 to 0.92, while Simplified Motor Score ranged from 0.71 to 0.89. The relative differences ranged from 3% to 7% with an average difference of 5%. In addition, the SMS score can be easily applied in these without the need for complex approaches, making it more advantageous than the GCS.