Neuropathological findings in Dandy Walker variant

Dandy-Walker malformation is a congenital malformation that is characterized by hypoplasia of the cerebellar vermis, cystic dilatation of the fourth ventricle and enlargement of the posterior fossa. The aim of the study is to describe the morphological and morphometric alterations of neurons (in various regions of the brain) in a case of Dandy-Walker Variant.

By Golgi method and routine techniques, the alterations in the brain of a 23 years old case of Dandy-Walker Variant who died accidentally were studied. Furthermore, a detailed morphometric analysis of neuronal parameters and a statistical comparison with an age-matched control were applied.

In the cerebellum the morphological study, apart from gliosis, revealed reduction of the size of cell body and poverty of dendritic arborization with loss of dendritic branches and spines. In the cerebral cortex and the hippocampus the most prominent findings were the tortuous configuration of the apical dendrites of the pyramidal neurons, the focal swellings of the axons and the dendrites and significant gliosis.

Although the gross anatomical examination of the brain demonstrated only mild neurodevelopmental anomalies (except the key features of the syndrome), the microscopic examination revealed significant morphological alterations of neurons and dendrites.