decerebrate
Sever higher brain
Decerebrate means to remove or disconnect the cerebrum from the rest of the brain, typically in experimental animals to study basic neural functions.
In medicine, decerebrate describes a posture indicating severe brain damage—arms and legs extended rigidly, often triggered by painful stimuli: The patient exhibited decerebrate posturing after the accident.
The condition suggests injury to the brainstem and carries a poor prognosis.
Remove outer covering
- extensorJoint-opening muscle
- flexorMuscle that bends joints
- rigidityState of being unbending
- opisthotonusInvoluntary severe spinal arching
tonic · primitive · involuntary · spasticity · hypertonia · muscle tone · stiffness · contracture
Species used for research
- catSmall furry housepet
- ratRodent or informer
- preparationArranging things in advance
- transectionCutting across something entirely
ablation · physiology · motor control · reflex arc · spinal · isolated · research · laboratory
Middle brain division
- thalamusBrain's signal switchboard
- medullaInnermost organ tissue
- vestibularOf the balance organ
- cranial nervesTwelve brainstem-emerging neural pairs
upper motor neuron · lesion · herniation · central · deterioration
Not awake or aware
- vegetativeOf plant growth
- unresponsiveFailing to react or reply
- brain deathComplete cessation of neural function
- persistentContinuing despite difficulty
arousal · awareness · prognosis · anoxia · hypoxia · traumatic · hemorrhage · ischemia
Physical or psychological harm
- accidentUnintended harmful event
- severeExtremely harsh or strict
- head injuryHarm to the skull
- blunt forceImpact without piercing
fall · assault · motor vehicle · contusion · hemorrhage · edema · swelling · emergency
decorticate
Remove outer covering
opisthotonus · tonic · primitive · involuntary · spasticity · hypertonia · muscle tone · stiffness · contracture · arms extended
animal model
Species used for research
- catSmall furry housepet
- ratRodent or informer
- preparationArranging things in advance
transection · ablation · physiology · motor control · reflex arc · spinal · isolated · research · laboratory · vivisection
midbrain
Middle brain division
- thalamusBrain's signal switchboard
- medullaInnermost organ tissue
- vestibularOf the balance organ
cranial nerves · upper motor neuron · lesion · herniation · central · deterioration
unconscious
Not awake or aware
- vegetativeOf plant growth
- unresponsiveFailing to react or reply
- brain deathComplete cessation of neural function
persistent · arousal · awareness · prognosis · anoxia · hypoxia · traumatic · hemorrhage · ischemia · encephalopathy
injury
Physical or psychological harm
- accidentUnintended harmful event
- severeExtremely harsh or strict
- head injuryHarm to the skull
blunt force · fall · assault · motor vehicle · contusion · hemorrhage · edema · swelling · emergency · neurosurgery
decerebrateintact
Not damaged or altered
cerebrate · neurotypical · undamaged · healthy · functional
cerebral, cerebrum, cerebellum, cerebrate, cerebrospinal, cerebration, cerebrovascular, cerebrating, cerebrated