encephalopathy

n. brain disease (Medicine)

Encephalopathy literally means disease of the brain. In medical jargon it can refer to a wide variety of disorders with very different etiologies, prognoses and implications. For example, anoxic encephalopathy commonly refers to permanent brain damage with often severe impairment of consciousness and mental abilities caused by cessation of oxygen delivery to the brain. In contrast, toxic-metabolic encephalopathy, which has protean causes, is generally completely reversible given reversal of the underlying toxic (infectious) or metabolic insult. Because the word encephalopathy is used in so many contexts, it has no direct synonyms. Contrast to dementia which refers to a permanent reduction in mental abilities from a previously higher level (c.f. mental retardation), always in the absence of acute illness or alteration of consciousness. Also contrast to delirium which refers to an acute confusional state, frequently, but not always, in the setting of acute illness. Because toxic-metabolic encephalopathy is frequently a confusional state in the setting of illness, and delirium is a confusional state, often, but not always, in the setting of illness, the two intergrade seamlessly into each other.
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Encephalopathy /en·ceph·a·lop·a·thy/ any degenerative brain disease. AIDS encephalopathy HIV e. anoxic encephalopathy hypoxic e. [more]Encephalopathy - Community and Resources

Noun
1. any disorder or disease of the brain
(synonym) brain disorder, brain disease
(hypernym) nervous disorder, neurological disorder, neurological disease
(hyponym) epilepsy

(n.)
Any disease or symptoms of disease referable to disorders of the brain; as, lead encephalopathy, the cerebral symptoms attending chronic lead poisoning.