Opisthotonus
Opisthotonus | |
---|---|
Sir Charles Bell, 1809. | |
Specialty | Neurology |
Symptoms | Abnormal posturing |
Opisthotonus or opisthotonos (from
This
Causes
Opisthotonus is a symptom of some cases of severe cerebral palsy and traumatic brain injury or as a result of the severe muscular spasms associated with tetanus. It can be a feature of severe acute hydrocephalus, poisoning, and drowning.[citation needed]
Infants
Opisthotonus is more pronounced in infants. Opisthotonus in the
Opisthotonus can be triggered by any attempt at movement, such as smiling, feeding, speech, or by involuntary movement, such as seizures. A similar tonic posturing may be seen in Sandifer syndrome.[citation needed]
Poisoning
Opisthotonus can sometimes be seen in
Opisthotonus with the presence of the risus sardonicus is also a symptom of strychnine poisoning and prussic acid (hydrogen cyanide) poisoning.[citation needed]
Drowning and the "dinosaur death pose"
Opisthotonus is seen with drowning victims – called the "opisthotonic
Vivisection
Opisthotonus can be produced experimentally in animals by transection of the
Severe "arching" (hyperextension) occurs due to stimulus by the anterior
Other causes
Opisthotonus is also described as a potential CNS symptom of heat stroke along with bizarre behavior, hallucinations, decerebrate rigidity, oculogyric crisis, and cerebellar dysfunction.[citation needed]
Opisthotonus is a symptom of "lavender foal syndrome", a lethal genetic disorder in horses.[4]
Sir Rudolph Peters, in Oxford, introduced
References
- ^ "opisthotonos". Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
- ^ a b "The Berkeley Science Review" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-05-17. Retrieved 2009-08-08.
- ^ S2CID 86181173.
- ^ "Lavender foal syndrome fact sheet". James A. Baker Institute for Animal Health. Cornell University. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008.