encephalopathy

[en-sef-uh-lop-uh-thee]

noun

Psychiatry.

1. any brain disease.

encephalopathy

/ ɛnˌsɛfəˈlɒpəθɪ /

noun

1. any degenerative disease of the brain, often associated with toxic conditions See also BSE

encephalopathy

1. Degeneration of brain function, caused by any of various acquired disorders, including metabolic disease, organ failure, inflammation, and chronic infection.

Word History and Origins

Origin of encephalopathy¹

First recorded in 1865–70; encephalo- + -pathy

Example Sentences

South Korea, which is the world’s top importer of American beef, currently bans beef from cattle that are older than 30 months on concerns it may introduce bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease.

From Los Angeles Times

American beef has effectively been banned from the country - which has some of the strictest biosecurity laws in the world - since 2003 after an outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, commonly known as mad cow disease.

From BBC

That table, for instance, lists certain forms of encephalopathy — a type of brain dysfunction — as a rare side effect of shots that protect people from whooping cough, measles, mumps and rubella.

From Salon

Almost two-thirds of the claimants in a concussion lawsuit against rugby league authorities showed symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, according to documents seen by the BBC.

From BBC

Repeated head blows can cause something called chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, which gets worse over time and can lead to dementia.

From BBC