neural tube defects

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neural tube defects pl. n. a group of congenital abnormalities involving defects in the spine or skull caused by failure of the neural tube to form normally. They include spina bifida, in which the bony arches of the spine fail to close, and more severe defects of bone fusion involving herniation of neural tissue and consequent mental and physical disorders, such as meningocele, meningomyelocele, and meningoencephalocele.

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