Agenesis Of The Corpus Callosum Of The Brain

Corpus callosum agenesis is a defect that appears during birth. The newborn has a total or partial absence of the part that connects the two hemispheres of the brain. In many cases, there is no exact cause that causes its appearance.

However, there are some diseases that could cause agenesis of the corpus callosum. In this article we are going to see them, although first we will discover how this congenital defect affects the brain and affects the life of those who suffer from it.

How it affects the brain

The corpus callosum is made up of up to 200 million connections that link the right and left hemispheres. In the event of missing parts, the hemispheres can not be properly coordinated or connected.

It is important to make clear that the agenesis of the corpus callosum does not cause death, but it does cause a malformation in this much-needed part of our brain that develops between two and four months, when the baby is still an embryo.

If this congenital defect is not serious and there is only a partial absence of the corpus callosum from the brain, there may not be any important problem for the child to lead a normal life. However, its total absence can cause greater difficulties.}

Diseases related to agenesis of the corpus callosum

There are some diseases that can cause that, while the embryo grows in the uterus, the corpus callosum does not develop properly. Some of them are the ones that we will present below:

• Arnold Chiari malformation : the cerebellum protrudes and occupies part of the space that corresponds to the spinal cord. This is because the skull is abnormally small.

• Dandy Walker syndrome : characterized by the presence of hydrocephalus, absence of vermis and cystic enlargement of the fourth ventricle.
• Schizencephaly : It is a rare disorder that presents grooves or clefts in both the right and left cerebral hemispheres.
• Holoprosencephaly : The two hemispheres of the brain do not divide properly. This usually causes the corpus callosum to be completely absent.
• Andermann syndrome : it is an alteration that affects the nerves and is usually accompanied by agenesis of the corpus callosum of the brain.
• Aicardi syndrome : This other syndrome also affects the development of the nervous system. Its presence usually manifests agenesis of the corpus callosum, spasms, and chorioretinal lagoons.

As we can see, there are several diseases that can be accompanied by agenesis of the corpus callosum. Now we are going to see what signs and symptoms characterize this congenital defect.

Signs and symptoms

It should be noted that many children with agenesis lead normal lives. The tests that can be done and that detect this circumstance will not reveal serious differences that affect their level of intelligence or development.

However, in cases where there is a total absence of the corpus callosum of the brain, some of the problems that we will mention below may occur. These are signs that can warn us that our child was born with this particularity:

• General delay in development.
• Difficulties learning and expressing yourself verbally.
• Vision, sucking, or chewing problems.
• Common facial features: ogival palate, broad nasal root …
• Convulsive crisis.
• High tolerance to pain.

These are some of the signs that a child with agenesis may present. However, if treatment is started quickly, some improvements can be made and the worsening of symptoms may be reduced.

Treatment of agenesis

Although there is no specific treatment for the agenesis of the corpus callosum of the brain, there is a rehabilitation treatment that can compensate for the consequences of not having adequately developed that essential part of the brain.

Going to special education centers, speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational or educational therapy, psychomotor skills, among many other options can help the patient improve their social skills and their physical and mental abilities.

Did you know the importance of the corpus callosum? There are many parts of our brain that we do not know and whose proper development is essential for everything to work as it should. Although there is no exact cause to prevent this circumstance, we do have certain options to improve the quality of life of those who suffer from it.