1. A reduction in brain oxygen supply due to anoxemia (a reduced amount of oxygen being carried in the blood by hemoglobin), or to a restriction of the blood supply to the brain, or both.
Severe hypoxia is referred to as Anoxia, and is a relatively common cause of injury to the Central Nervous System. Prolonged brain anoxia may lead to brain death or a persistent vegetative state. Histologically, this condition is characterized by neuronal loss which is most prominent in the hippocampus; globus pallidus; cerebellum; and inferior olives. (online-medical-dictionary.org)
Syn: Hypoxia, Cerebral