AIM: Complete or subtotal absence of one cerebellar hemisphere is exceptional; only single cases have been described. We aimed to assess the long-term outcome in children with severe unilateral cerebellar hypoplasia (UCH). METHOD: As part of a retrospective study we describe neuroimaging features, clinical findings, and cognitive outcomes of seven children with UCH (five males, two females; age at first magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]: median 1y 3mo, range 9d-8y 10mo; age at latest follow-up: median 6y 6mo, range 2y 3mo-14y 11mo). RESULTS: One child had abnormalities on prenatal MRI at 21 weeks' gestation. The left cerebellar hemisphere was affected in five children, and the right hemisphere in two children. The vermis was involved in five children. The volume of the posterior fossa was variable. At the latest follow-up, neurological findings included truncal ataxia and muscular hypotonia in five children, limb ataxia in three patients, and head nodding in two patients. Three children had learning disability*, five had speech and language disorders, and one had a severe behavioural disorder. INTERPRETATION: Severe UCH is a residual change after a disruptive prenatal cerebellar insult, most likely haemorrhagic. The outcome is variable, ranging from almost normal development to marked developmental impairment. Ataxia is a frequent but not a leading sign. It seems that involvement of the cerebellar vermis is often, but not consistently, associated with a poorer cognitive outcome, whereas an intact vermis is associated with normal outcome and no truncal ataxia.
AIM: Complete or subtotal absence of one cerebellar hemisphere is exceptional; only single cases have been described. We aimed to assess the long-term outcome in children with severe unilateral cerebellar hypoplasia (UCH). METHOD: As part of a retrospective study we describe neuroimaging features, clinical findings, and cognitive outcomes of seven children with UCH (five males, two females; age at first magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]: median 1y 3mo, range 9d-8y 10mo; age at latest follow-up: median 6y 6mo, range 2y 3mo-14y 11mo). RESULTS: One child had abnormalities on prenatal MRI at 21 weeks' gestation. The left cerebellar hemisphere was affected in five children, and the right hemisphere in two children. The vermis was involved in five children. The volume of the posterior fossa was variable. At the latest follow-up, neurological findings included truncal ataxia and muscular hypotonia in five children, limb ataxia in three patients, and head nodding in two patients. Three children had learning disability*, five had speech and language disorders, and one had a severe behavioural disorder. INTERPRETATION: Severe UCH is a residual change after a disruptive prenatal cerebellar insult, most likely haemorrhagic. The outcome is variable, ranging from almost normal development to marked developmental impairment. Ataxia is a frequent but not a leading sign. It seems that involvement of the cerebellar vermis is often, but not consistently, associated with a poorer cognitive outcome, whereas an intact vermis is associated with normal outcome and no truncal ataxia.
Authors: Sandra P Toelle; Andrea Poretti; Peter Weber; Tatjana Seute; Jacoline E C Bromberg; Ianina Scheer; Eugen Boltshauser Journal: Cerebellum Date: 2015-12 Impact factor: 3.847
Authors: Leonardo Baldarçara; Stuart Currie; M Hadjivassiliou; Nigel Hoggard; Allison Jack; Andrea P Jackowski; Mario Mascalchi; Cecilia Parazzini; Kathrin Reetz; Andrea Righini; Jörg B Schulz; Alessandra Vella; Sara Jane Webb; Christophe Habas Journal: Cerebellum Date: 2015-04 Impact factor: 3.847
Authors: Kimberly A Aldinger; Andrew E Timms; Zachary Thomson; Ghayda M Mirzaa; James T Bennett; Alexander B Rosenberg; Charles M Roco; Matthew Hirano; Fatima Abidi; Parthiv Haldipur; Chi V Cheng; Sarah Collins; Kaylee Park; Jordan Zeiger; Lynne M Overmann; Fowzan S Alkuraya; Leslie G Biesecker; Stephen R Braddock; Sara Cathey; Megan T Cho; Brian H Y Chung; David B Everman; Yuri A Zarate; Julie R Jones; Charles E Schwartz; Amy Goldstein; Robert J Hopkin; Ian D Krantz; Roger L Ladda; Kathleen A Leppig; Barbara C McGillivray; Susan Sell; Katherine Wusik; Joseph G Gleeson; Deborah A Nickerson; Michael J Bamshad; Dianne Gerrelli; Steven N Lisgo; Georg Seelig; Gisele E Ishak; A James Barkovich; Cynthia J Curry; Ian A Glass; Kathleen J Millen; Dan Doherty; William B Dobyns Journal: Am J Hum Genet Date: 2019-08-29 Impact factor: 11.025
Authors: Jack E Steiner; Garrett N McCoy; Christopher P Hess; William B Dobyns; Denise W Metry; Beth A Drolet; Mohit Maheshwari; Dawn H Siegel Journal: Am J Med Genet A Date: 2017-11-24 Impact factor: 2.802