Meaning & use
encephalopathy
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Meaning
nouncountable or uncountablemedical
Any disease or disorder that affects the structure or function of the brain.
Grammar: Can be countable (a rare encephalopathy) or uncountable (signs of encephalopathy).
Patterns
- hepatic encephalopathy
- a form of encephalopathy
The patient was diagnosed with hepatic encephalopathy.
Chronic encephalopathy can cause memory loss and confusion.
Doctors use imaging to rule out other causes of encephalopathy.
Word forms
| plural | encephalopathies |
|---|
Common combinations
- hepatic encephalopathy
- Hepatic encephalopathy is a complication of liver disease.
- chronic encephalopathy
- Chronic encephalopathy may develop slowly over years.
- encephalopathy symptoms
- Encephalopathy symptoms include confusion and drowsiness.
- a form of encephalopathy
- This is a rare form of encephalopathy.
Synonyms and how they differ
- brain disease
- Brain disease is a general, non-technical term; encephalopathy is the precise medical word.
- brain disorder
- Brain disorder is broader and includes psychiatric conditions; encephalopathy usually refers to structural or metabolic damage.
Word family
- encephalopathic adjective
- Relating to or affected by encephalopathy.
- encephalitis noun
- Inflammation of the brain, often caused by infection.
Commonly confused: encephalopathy or encephalitis?
encephalopathy vs encephalitis
Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain, usually from infection; encephalopathy is a broader term for any brain disease or damage.
Practice
The doctor explained that ______ can be caused by liver failure.
Choose one answer.
Encephalopathy is the general term for brain disease and is commonly linked to liver failure. Encephalitis is specifically inflammation, meningitis affects the membranes around the brain, and neuropathy affects nerves.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “encephalopathy”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.