Consideration of genetic factors in cerebral palsy

Sixty-two patients with cerebral palsy seen consecutively in a pediatric neurology practice were submitted to a prospective protocol which tabulated their neurological findings, birth and developmental histories and an extensive neurodevelopmental pedigree. Their family histories were compared with those of three control groups, consisting of 62 children with headaches, 62 with school/behavior problems and 62 random normal children. The family histories of the cerebral-palsied children revealed an unusual number of relatives with cerebral palsy, mental retardation and seizures. This study suggests that a large proportion of cerebral-palsied individuals may be predisposed to aplasia/hypoplasia of neural tissue. Some affected by presumably static 'brain-damage' may in later years develop indolent degenerative disease. Indirect genetic factors may also play a major predisposing role in cerebral palsy of proven postnatal/perinatal onset.