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Congenital cytomegalovirus infection and brain clefting

Autumn L White1, Gary L Hedlund2, James F Bale1

  • 1Division of Pediatric Neurology, Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, The University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Pediatric Neurology
|December 31, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Congenital cytomegalovirus infection in infants can cause brain abnormalities like polymicrogyria and calcifications. This study highlights cerebral cortical clefting, including schizencephaly, as a significant feature of these infections.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a leading cause of permanent neurodevelopmental disabilities in children.
  • Congenital CMV infections frequently result in intracranial abnormalities such as calcifications and polymicrogyria.
  • This study focuses on cerebral cortical clefting, including schizencephaly, in infants with congenital CMV.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the neuroimaging features of cerebral cortical clefting in children with congenital cytomegalovirus infection.
  • To identify the prevalence of specific brain abnormalities associated with congenital CMV.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of medical records of infants and children diagnosed with congenital CMV infection.
  • Analysis of neuroimaging data (CT and MRI) obtained between 1999 and 2008.
  • Evaluation of 25 children with confirmed or suspected congenital CMV infection.

Main Results:

  • Among 15 children with confirmed congenital CMV, 66% had polymicrogyria or abnormal gyral patterns, 33% had cleft cortical dysplasia, and 13% had schizencephaly.
  • In 10 children with suspected congenital CMV, 80% had polymicrogyria, and 10% had bilateral schizencephaly with calcifications.
  • Intracranial calcifications were present in 68% of the 25 infants studied.

Conclusions:

  • Clefting, manifesting as cleft cortical dysplasia or schizencephaly, is a notable feature of congenital CMV infection.
  • These findings underscore the importance of recognizing cortical clefting in the neuroimaging of infants with congenital CMV.
Abstract

Keywords:
congenital infectioncortical dysplasiacytomegalovirusschizencephaly

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