tephromalacia

teph·ro·ma·la·ci·a

(tef'rō-mă-lā'shē-ă), Softening of the gray matter of the brain or spinal cord. [G. tephros, ashen-gray, + malakia, softness]

tephromalacia

An obsolete, imprecise term defined as either a destructive process of the cerebral or spinal grey matter, or the end result of such destruction—e.g.,wasting of the small muscles of the hand secondary to grey matter infarction in the anterior cervical spinal cord.