A softening or degeneration of brain tissue, usually caused by inadequate blood supply, infection, or trauma.
From Greek enkephalos (brain) + malakia (softness, softening), describing the pathological softening of neural tissue.
Encephalomalacia is what happens when part of the brain essentially dies from lack of blood flow or infection—it's what happens in severe strokes, and brain tissue literally becomes softer and damaged.
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