Anencephaly
A malformation of the nervous system caused by failure of the anterior neuropore to close. Infants are born with intact spinal cords, cerebellums, and brainstems, but lack formation of neural structures above this level. The skull is only partially formed but the eyes are usually normal. This condition may be associated with folate deficiency. Affected infants are only capable of primitive (brain stem) reflexes and usually do not survive for more than two weeks. (From Menkes, Textbook of Child Neurology, 5th ed, p247)
Year introduced: 1979
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Subheadings:
Tree Number(s): C10.500.680.196, C16.131.085.197, C16.131.666.680.196
MeSH Unique ID: D000757
Entry Terms:
- Congenital Absence of Brain
- Brain Congenital Absence
- Anencephalus
- Absence of Brain, Congenital
- Anencephalia
- Anencephalias
- Incomplete Anencephaly
- Anencephaly, Incomplete
- Partial Anencephaly
- Anencephalies, Partial
- Anencephaly, Partial
- Partial Anencephalies
- Hemicranial Anencephaly
- Anencephaly, Hemicranial
- Aprosencephaly
- Aprosencephalies
See Also: