Decorticate Vs Decerebrate Posturing

What is the difference between decorticate and decerebrate posturing.

Decorticate vs decerebrate posturing. In most literature this level is considered the red nucleus at the intercollicular. Remember the letters cor in the word de cor ticate for the word core. Mnemonic for decorticate posturing.

Decerebrate has more e and more r. This video introduces you to decerebrate and decorticate posturing. D e c e r e brat e.

This is a type of e xtended posturing and can indicate damage to the brain stem. Decerebrate posturing is an abnormal body posture and it is defined the arms and legs being held straight out the toes being pointed downward and the head and neck being arched backward 3. I understood this part and why decerebrate rigidity is a misnomer as it is actually spasticity.

Rubrospinal tract transected red nucleus is above the level of lesion i e. While decorticate posturing is still an ominous sign of severe brain damage decerebrate posturing is usually indicative of more severe damage at the rubrospinal tract and hence the red nucleus is also involved indicating a lesion lower in the brainstem. It is however accepted that decorticate typically requires an injury more rostral than decerebrate posturing.

Loss of cortical inhibition of red nucleus rubro spinal tract i e. This is the worst type of posturing between the two. Gamma motor neurons control tone of muscle.

Decerebrate posturing usually means there has been severe damage to the brain. Decorticate posturing decerebrate posturing where arms and legs are straight and rigid toes are pointed downward and head is arched backward opisthotonic posturing where the back is arched. In decerebrate rigidity the reticulospinal tracts are cut so the gamma motor neurons start firing excessively and spasticity develops.