Decerebration

Decerebration is the elimination of cerebral brain function in an animal by removing the cerebrum, cutting across the brain stem, or severing certain arteries in the brain stem.

The decerebrate response is a medical term for the involuntary extending of the upper extremities in response to external stimuli. It is used by healthcare professionals to measure the severity of a coma with the Glasgow Coma Scale (for adults) and the Pediatric Glasgow Coma Scale (for infants).