Brain Malformations

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• Diagnosis and Tests

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• Related Issues
• Specifics
• Genetics

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Summary

Most brain malformations begin long before a baby is born. Something damages the developing nervous system or causes it to develop abnormally. Sometimes it's a genetic problem. In other cases, exposure to certain medicines, infections, or radiation during pregnancy interferes with brain development. Parts of the brain may be missing, abnormally small or large, or not fully developed.

Treatment depends upon the problem. In many cases, treatment only helps with symptoms. It may include antiseizure medicines, shunts to drain fluid from the brain, and physical therapy.

There are head malformations that do not involve the brain. Craniofacial disorders are the result of abnormal growth of soft tissue and bones in the face and head. It's common for new babies to have slightly uneven heads, but parents should watch the shape of their baby's head for possible problems.

NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Start Here

• Cephalic Disorders (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary
• Cephalic Disorders (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

• Computed Tomography (CT) -- Head (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Cranial Ultrasound/Head Ultrasound (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) -- Head (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

• Microcephaly and Other Birth Defects: Zika (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish

Specifics

• Absence of the Septum Pellucidum (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
• Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) Also in Spanish
• Aicardi Syndrome (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
• Colpocephaly (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
• Dandy-Walker Syndrome (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) Also in Spanish
• Facts about Microcephaly (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
• Holoprosencephaly (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
• Hydranencephaly (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
• Lissencephaly (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
• Megalencephaly (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
• Microcephaly (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Microcephaly Information Page (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
• Neuronal Migration Disorders (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
• Porencephaly (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
• Schizencephaly (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
• Septo-Optic Dysplasia (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)

Genetics

• Genetics Home Reference: Aicardi syndrome (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: Amish lethal microcephaly (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: Andermann syndrome (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: autosomal recessive primary microcephaly (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: Baraitser-Winter syndrome (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: CASK-related intellectual disability (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: cerebral cavernous malformation (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: Dandy-Walker malformation (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: Hartsfield syndrome (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: isolated lissencephaly sequence (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: lissencephaly with cerebellar hypoplasia (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: Meckel syndrome (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: megalencephaly-capillary malformation syndrome (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: megalencephaly-polymicrogyria-polydactyly-hydrocephalus syndrome (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: microcephaly-capillary malformation syndrome (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: Miller-Dieker syndrome (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: nonsyndromic holoprosencephaly (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: Opitz G/BBB syndrome (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: Pallister-Hall syndrome (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: periventricular heterotopia (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: Pol III-related leukodystrophy (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: polymicrogyria (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: pontocerebellar hypoplasia (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: septo-optic dysplasia (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: Smith-Magenis syndrome (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: trisomy 13 (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: Walker-Warburg syndrome (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: X-linked lissencephaly with abnormal genitalia (National Library of Medicine)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Nervous System Malformations (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: A Practical Approach to Supratentorial Brain Malformations: What Radiologists Should...
• Article: Arteriovenous Malformations of the Brain.
• Article: Changes in airway dimensions following functional appliances in growing patients...
• Brain Malformations -- see more articles

Reference Desk

• Your Brain and Nervous System (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Find an Expert

• Find a Neurologist (American Academy of Neurology)
• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• Brain surgery (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Brain surgery - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish