anencephaly

(noun)

A lethal birth defect in which most of the brain and parts of the skull are missing; absence of the encephalon.

Related Terms

Examples of anencephaly in the following topics:

  • Anencephaly

    • Anencephaly (absence of forebrain and neocortex) is a neural tube defect occurring during embryonic development.
    • There is no cure or standard treatment for anencephaly and the prognosis for patients is death.
    • In the United States, anencephaly occurs in about 1 out of every 10,000 births.
    • Anencephaly can often be diagnosed before birth through an ultrasound examination.
    • Anencephaly is a cephalic disorder that results from a neural tube defect that occurs when the cephalic (head) end of the neural tube fails to close.

  • Embryonic Development

    • Improper closure of the neuropores can result in neural tube defects such as anencephaly or spina bifida.

  • Establishing Body Axes during Development

    • Improper closure of the neuropores can result in neural tube defects such as anencephaly or spina bifida.