What it means
A rigid posture seen in a person with a serious brain injury, either all the time or in response to pain. The elbows, wrists and fingers bend and draw up onto the chest, while the legs extend with the feet turned inward. It comes from damage above the brainstem, in the pathways from the cerebral cortex, and is less grave than decerebrate posturingdee-SAIR-uh-brayt POS-cher-ingAn abnormal body position with the arms and legs held stiff and straight, the arms turned inward and the toes pointed.Full entry , though a change from decorticate to decerebrate is a sign of worsening.
For the nurse
Describe the posture exactly, note what triggers it, and report any new or changing posture at once.
Remember it
DeCORticate: the arms are pulled to the "core" (the chest).
At a glance
| Also written | decorticate posture, decorticate rigidity, flexor posturing |
|---|
Easy to confuse with
decerebrate posturing
An abnormal body position with the arms and legs held stiff and straight, the arms turned inward and the toes pointed.
Related terms
intracranial pressure
The pressure inside the skull, made by the brain, the blood and the fluid around the brain.
decerebrate posturing
An abnormal body position with the arms and legs held stiff and straight, the arms turned inward and the toes pointed.