Anencephaly is best described as:

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Multiple Choice

Anencephaly is best described as:

Anencephaly happens when the rostral (head-end) portion of the neural tube fails to close early in development, so the forebrain structures above the brain stem do not form. Without the cerebral hemispheres and much of the brain, higher brain functions can’t develop, and infants typically do not survive infancy. This makes the description that neural development above the brain stem is lacking the best match. Protrusion in the occipital region points to an occipital encephalocele, not anencephaly, and while hydrocephalus can accompany some neural tube defects, it isn’t the defining feature.

Anencephaly happens when the rostral (head-end) portion of the neural tube fails to close early in development, so the forebrain structures above the brain stem do not form. Without the cerebral hemispheres and much of the brain, higher brain functions can’t develop, and infants typically do not survive infancy. This makes the description that neural development above the brain stem is lacking the best match. Protrusion in the occipital region points to an occipital encephalocele, not anencephaly, and while hydrocephalus can accompany some neural tube defects, it isn’t the defining feature.

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