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Megalencephaly Synonym(s): Reviewed 07-01-2001 Get Web page suited for printing Email this to a friend or colleague Studies with patients Table of Contents (click to jump to sections) What is Megalencephaly?Is there any treatment? What is the prognosis? What research is being done? Organizations What is Megalencephaly? Megalencephaly, also called macrencephaly, is a condition in which there is an abnormally large, heavy, and usually malfunctioning brain. By definition, the brain weight is greater than average for the age and gender of the individual. Head enlargement may be evident at birth or the head may become abnormally large in the early years of life. Megalencephaly is thought to be related to a disturbance in the regulation of cell reproduction or proliferation. In normal development, neuron proliferation - the process in which nerve cells divide to form new generations of cells - is regulated so that the correct number of cells is formed in the proper place at the appropriate time. Symptoms of megalencephaly may include delayed development, convulsive disorders, corticospinal (brain cortex and spinal cord) dysfunction, and seizures. Megalencephaly affects males more often than females. Unilateral megalencephaly or hemimegalencephaly is a rare condition and is characterized by the enlargement of one-half of the brain. Children with this disorder may have a large, sometimes asymmetrical head. Often they suffer from intractable seizures and mental retardation. Is there any treatment? What is the prognosis? What research is being done? March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation
National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)
National Institute of Child Health and Human
Development (NICHD)
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