Ailments & Conditions

Abnormal Posturing: Types, Causes, and Diagnosis

Types of Abnormal Posturing

Abnormal posturing can be divided into 3 main types.

Decorticate Posturing

Decorticate posturing is characterized by hands clenched into fists, extended legs, or arms bent or flexed inward on the chest. This type typically suggests possible damage to the corticospinal tract or mesencephalic area, along which signals are transported to the spinal cord from the brain. Decorticate posturing typically includes 2 parts:

– The red nucleus is disinhibited and the rubrospinal tract is facilitated

– The lateral vestibulospinal tract is disinhibited [2]