Decerebrate posture
Definition
Decerebrate posture is an abnormal body posture that involves rigid extension of the arms and legs, downward pointing of the toes, and backward arching of the head.
Considerations
A severe injury to the brain at the level of the brainstem is the usual cause of decerebrate posture.
Opisthotonos (a severe muscle spasm of the neck and back) may accompany decerebrate posture in severe cases.
Decerebrate posture can occur on one side, on both sides, or in just the arms. It may alternate with decorticate posture (abnormal posturing due to corticospinal tract injury), or a person can have decorticate posture on one side and decerebrate posture on the other.
Causes
- Cerebral infarction (stroke)
- Intracranial hemorrhage
- Primary brain tumor
- Secondary brain tumor
- Encephalopathy
- Head injury
- Increased intracranial pressure from any cause
- Brain stem tumor
- Hepatic encephalopathy
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