microcephaly

microcephaly
microcephaly [mī΄krō sef′ə lē]
n.
〚 MICRO- + -CEPHALY〛
a condition in which the head or cranial capacity is abnormally small: opposed to MACROCEPHALY
microcephalous
adj.
microcephalic [mī΄krəsə fal′ik]

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mi·cro·ceph·a·ly (mī'krō-sĕfʹə-lē) n. pl. mi·cro·ceph·a·lies
Abnormal smallness of the head.
  mi'cro·ce·phalʹic (-sə-fălʹĭk) adj. & n. mi'cro·cephʹa·lous (-sĕfʹə-ləs) adj.

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      condition of abnormal smallness of the head. Microcephalic individuals are usually severely retarded both mentally and developmentally. Primary microcephaly results when the brain itself is abnormally small (microencephaly), so that there is no stimulus for the vault to grow. It also occurs when all the cranial sutures fuse prematurely, precluding brain growth. Irradiation of the abdomen in pregnant women or maternal (and via the placenta, fetal) infection with German measles (rubella) or toxoplasmosis during the first three months of pregnancy may sometimes produce a microcephalic child. Microcephaly of greater or lesser degree also accompanies various genetic syndromes such as Hurler's syndrome and some chromosomal disorders.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • microcephaly — [mī΄krō sef′ə lē] n. [ MICRO + CEPHALY] a condition in which the head or cranial capacity is abnormally small: opposed to MACROCEPHALY microcephalous adj. microcephalic [mī΄krəsə fal′ik] …   English World dictionary

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  • microcephaly — noun Etymology: New Latin microcephalia, from microcephalus microcephalic, from micr + Greek kephalē head more at cephalic Date: 1863 a condition of abnormal smallness of the head usually associated with mental defects …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • microcephaly — noun A neurological disorder in which the person affected has an abnormally small head due to a failure of brain growth Syn: microcephalia, microcephalism See Also: microcephalic, microcephale, microcephalous, microcephalus …   Wiktionary

  • microcephaly — maɪkrəʊ sefÉ™lɪ n. smallness of head (Medicine) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • microcephaly — [ˌmʌɪkrəʊ sɛfəli, kɛfəli] noun Medicine abnormal smallness of the head. Derivatives microcephalic adjective &noun microcephalous adjective …   English new terms dictionary

  • microcephaly — mi·cro·ceph·a·ly …   English syllables

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