Cortical malformations

Rakic P (1988) Defects of neuronal migration and the pathogenesis of cortical malformations. Prog Brain Res 73 15-37. 

Fetal damage following intrauterine poisoning was especially pronounced. Affected infants were born with both physical malformations and profound mental retardation. Symptoms resembled cerebral palsy. Several infants were born completely blind. Pathology in these cases involved the cerebral hemispheres to a major extent and microcephaly was found in several instances. Cerebral cortices were not only underdeveloped but their convolutions were also narrowed. The corresponding maternal toxicity in these cases was minimal and rapidly reversible. The observable postnatal effects at the lowest levels of fetal exposure, was psychomotor retardation expressed as delayed behavioral... 

Another possibility is that the frequently noted cerebrocortical malformations in the autistic brain may be associated with aberrant, increased connectivity. Evidence for this comes from studies of focal cerebrocortical malformations in experimental animal models. Rosen et al. (2000) explored the connectivity of experimentally induced polymicrogyria and showed that there was an enhancement of ipsilateral cerebrocortical projections, projections to cortical regions not normally innervated in the adult brain, and a decreased callosal connectivity. Jenner et al. (2000) studied... 

Malformations of cortical development occur when the normal process of brain development is disrupted. With... 

Fig.4.16a-c. Typical signs of intracranial dural arteriovenous malformation (DAVM) by CT. a Ectatic venous structure and hydrocephalus, b Multiple enhancing vascular structures following contrast administration, representing draining veins, c Dilated subarachnoid spaces due to cortical atrophy... 

Willinsky R, Terbrugge K, Montanera W et al (1994) Venous congestion an MR finding in dural arteriovenous malformations with cortical venous drainage. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 15 1501-1507... 

---