Brain Injury Terms and Definitions

Central nervous system Birth Defect
Neural tube defects, hydrocephaly, holoprosencephaly, Dandy-Walker malformation

hypothalamus
The part of the brain that controls body functions such as eating, sleeping and sexual behavior, maintains body temperature and chemical balance, and regulates many hormones.

brain tumor
An abnormal growth of tissue in the brain

CBDMP
California Birth Defects Monitoring Program

NBDPN
National Birth Defects Prevention Network

cerebellum
The portion of the brain mainly responsible for balance and coordination.

closed head injury
An injury to the head or brain in which the skull remains intact.

BDPM
Birth Defects Monitoring Program

stroke
A condition produced by a blood clot that lodges in an artery and blocks the flow of blood to a portion of the brain, producing symptoms ranging from paralysis of limbs and loss of speech to unconsciousness and death. Less commonly, a stroke may be the result of bleeding into the substance of the brain.

Cardiovascular Birth Defect
Conotruncal heart defects, septal heart defects, obstructive heart defects, atrioventricular septal defects, single ventricle, anomalous pulmonary venous return, heterotaxy, Ebstein malformation.