What does schizencephaly cause?

Schizencephaly is a birth defect that causes irregular gaps, called clefts, in the brain. This affects the cerebral hemispheres, which are the largest parts of the brain and are responsible for movement, emotions, language, thought, memory, hearing, and vision.

What is schizencephaly?

Definition. Schizencephaly is an extremely rare developmental birth defect characterized by abnormal slits, or clefts, in the cerebral hemispheres of the brain.

Is schizencephaly a form of cerebral palsy?

The clinical features of schizencephaly are extremely variable and their severity is closely related to the importance of the cleft. Children with unilateral schizencephaly present with hemiparesis as spastic cerebral palsy hemiplegia and mild mental delay.

Is schizencephaly progressive?

In our case, a progressive destructive process was the most likely pathogenesis of schizencephaly. However, further studies and follow-up in the future are needed for this case. The prognosis of schizencephaly is related to the extent of the lesion [4].

Can schizencephaly be cured?

No known cure for schizencephaly exists, but your doctor may prescribe a variety of treatments to help manage your symptoms, treat complications, and improve your quality of life. Your doctor may prescribe medication to help prevent seizures.

What are the symptoms of schizencephaly?

Signs and symptoms of schizencephaly may include:

  • Developmental delay.
  • Seizures.
  • Abnormally small head (microcephaly)
  • Intellectual disability.
  • Partial or complete paralysis.
  • Poor muscle tone (hypotonia)
  • Hydrocephalus.

Is schizencephaly inherited?

Severity of symptoms depends on many factors including the extent of the clefting and whether or not other brain abnormalities are present. Although the exact cause of Schizencephaly is unknown, it has been linked to a variety of genetic and non-genetic factors.

Is schizencephaly caused by drug use?

The etiology of schizencephaly is heterogeneous, and some environmental exposures have been implicated: teratogens such as alcohol, warfarin, or cocaine15–17; viral infection, especially cytomegalovirus6; as well as attempted abortion, amniocentesis or chorionic villus biopsy, or maternal trauma.

When is schizencephaly Awareness Day?

WASHINGTON – Senators John Hoeven and Heidi Heitkamp today introduced a Senate Resolution designating May 19 as “National Schizencephaly Awareness Day.” The resolution helps to educate and raise awareness about Schizencephaly, a rare birth defect that causes developmental delays, delays in speech and language skills.

What is dysplasia in the brain?

Cortical dysplasia occurs when the top layer of the brain does not form properly. It is one of the most common causes of epilepsy. The most common type of cortical dysplasia is focal cortical dysplasia (FCD).

Can you live with cortical dysplasia?

Sometime surgery can remove the section of the brain that is not working properly and can cure epilepsy. Sometimes children outgrow epilepsy; 74 out of 100 children become seizure-free within two years as long as there are no underlying problems.

What happens if absence seizures go untreated?

Usually absence seizures last no longer than 15 seconds, but that loss of consciousness can make paying attention in school and learning more difficult especially when they occur multiple times a day. Children who have absence seizures may miss things throughout the day and even risk getting hurt.