What is decerebrate posturing?

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What is decerebrate posturing? | Healthbiztips

@healthbiztips by Arlene Gentallan | health blog

1. Decerebrate posturing is an abnormal posture that reflects an underlying damage to the brain stem, particularly below the level of the red nucleus.

2. Decerebrate posturing is the the abnormal extension or bending of the upper and lower extremities.

3. Possible causes of decerebrate posturing includes:

Traumatic brain injury
Stroke
Bleeding in the brain
Blood clots in the brain
Tumor in the brainstem.
Brain lesion
Brain herniation
Increase in intracranial pressure
Encephalopathy
Cerebral edema

4. You may notice the following when observing a person with decerebrate posturing:

Extension of the arms and legs.
Extension of the elbow.
Internal rotation of the arms and legs.
Arms are adducted.
Forearm are pronated.
Arching of the head and neck backward. (also known as opisthotonos)
Teeth are clenched.
Rigidity and stiffness of the muscle.
Reye syndrome

5. It is possible that decerebrate posturing only manifest on one side of the body.

6. Due to the severity of the underlying brain damage, people showing signs of decerebrate posturing usually have poor prognosis.

7. Decerebrate posturing (abnormal extension) is worse than decorticate posturing (abnormal extension).

8. It is possible for an individual to experience decerebrate posturing on one side of the body while decorticate posturing on the other side.

9. When a person begins to exhibit decerebrate posturing, it is usually a medical emergency.

10. In the Glasgow Coma Scale (a 15-point scale use to measure conscousness), decerebrate posturing is scored 2 in the area of "motor response".