Diseases

Decerebrate State

A condition characterized by abnormal posturing of the limbs that is associated with injury to the brainstem. This may occur as a clinical manifestation or induced experimentally in animals. The extensor reflexes are exaggerated leading to rigid extension of the limbs accompanied by hyperreflexia and opisthotonus. This condition is usually caused by lesions which occur in the region of the brainstem that lies between the red nuclei and the vestibular nuclei. In contrast, decorticate rigidity is characterized by flexion of the elbows and wrists with extension of the legs and feet. The causative lesion for this condition is located above the red nuclei and usually consists of diffuse cerebral damage. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p358)

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

A condition characterized by abnormal posturing of the limbs that is associated with injury to the brainstem. This may occur as a clinical manifestation or induced experimentally in animals. The extensor reflexes are exaggerated leading to rigid extension of the limbs accompanied by hyperreflexia and opisthotonus. This condition is usually caused by lesions which occur in the region of the brainstem that lies between the red nuclei and the vestibular nuclei. In contrast, decorticate rigidity is characterized by flexion of the elbows and wrists with extension of the legs and feet. The causative lesion for this condition is located above the red nuclei and usually consists of diffuse cerebral damage. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p358)

MeSH Record

Classification

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MeSH Record

Synonyms

15 entry terms
  • Rigidity, Decerebrate
  • Decerebrate Rigidity
  • Decerebrate States
  • State, Decerebrate
  • States, Decerebrate
  • Decerebrate Posturing
  • Decorticate Rigidity
  • Decorticate State
  • Rigidity, Decorticate
  • Decerebrate Posturings
  • Decorticate Rigidities
  • Decorticate States
  • Posturing, Decerebrate
  • Posturings, Decerebrate
  • Rigidities, Decorticate

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

35 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings blood, cerebrospinal fluid, chemically induced, classification, complications, congenital, diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, diet therapy, drug therapy, economics, embryology, enzymology, epidemiology, ethnology, etiology, genetics, history, immunology, metabolism, microbiology, mortality, nursing, parasitology, pathology, physiopathology, prevention & control, psychology, radiotherapy, rehabilitation, surgery, therapy, urine, veterinary, virology.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

"brain-isolated", "encéphale isolé", "pithed", "spinal" as in "spinal cat", "cerveau isolé" go here

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

  1. C10w.597.305w
  2. C23.888w.592.298w

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Decerebrate State. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D003655. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D003655
  2. Decerebrate State. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decerebration
  3. Decerebrate State. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1207349