In medicine, Cerebral softening (encephalomalacia) is a localized softening of the brain substance, due to hemorrhage or inflammation. Three varieties, distinguished by their color and representing different stages of the morbid process, are known respectively as red, yellow, and white softening.

Millard-Gubler syndrome is a syndrome of unilateral softening of the brain tissue arising from obstruction of the blood vessels of the pons, involving the sixth and seventh cranial nerves and fibers of the corticospinal tract, and is associated with paralysis of the abducens and facial nerves and contralateral hemiplegia of the extremities.