Schizencephaly

Schizencephaly is an extremely rare developmental disorder characterized by abnormal slits, or clefts, in the brain’s cerebral hemispheres. Schizencephaly is a form of porencephaly in which there is a cyst or cavity in the cerebral hemispheres. Individuals with clefts in both hemispheres (bilateral clefts) are commonly developmentally delayed and have delayed speech and language skills and corticospinal dysfunction. Individuals with smaller, unilateral clefts (clefts in only one hemisphere) are often paralyzed on one side of the body and may have normal intelligence.

Patients with schizencephaly may also have varying degrees of microcephaly (abnormally small head), mental retardation, hemiparesis or quadriparesis (partial or complete paralysis), and reduced muscle tone (hypotonicity). Most patients have seizures. Some may have hydrocephalus.

Treatment for individuals with schizencephaly generally consists of physical therapy, treatment for seizures, and, in cases that are complicated by hydrocephalus, a shunt (a surgically implanted tube that diverts fluid from one pathway to another).

The prognosis for individuals with schizencephaly varies depending on the size of the clefts and the degree of neurological deficit.

Information provided by the
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
National Institutes of Health

Each year, Medical College of Wisconsin physicians care for more than 180,000 patients, representing nearly 500,000 patient visits. Medical College physicians practice at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital, the Milwaukee VA Medical Center, and many other hospitals and clinics in Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin.