What causes grey matter heterotopia?
Grey matter heterotopia (GMH) can cause of seizures and are associated with a wide range of neurodevelopmental disorders and syndromes. They are caused by a failure of neuronal migration during fetal development, leading to clusters of neurons that have not reached their final destination in the cerebral cortex.
How common is gray matter heterotopia?
Grey matter heterotopia and psychiatric disorders Preliminary findings indicate that GMH is more common in patients with schizophrenia with a prevalence rate of 1.8% being found in a study where none of the normal individuals in the control group were found to have the disorder.
What is heterotopic grey matter?
OVERVIEW. Grey matter heterotopia is a malformation of cortical development, where cortical cells (grey matter) are present in inappropriate locations in the brain, due to interruption in their migration to their correct location in the cerebral cortex.
Is grey matter heterotopia genetic?
SBH cortical malformations always have a genetic origin, and abnormalities in the DCX and LIS1 genes account for the majority of the SBH cases.
What is subependymal gray matter heterotopia?
Subependymal grey matter heterotopia, also known as periventricular heterotopia, is the most common form of grey matter heterotopia and is characterized by nodules of grey matter located immediately beneath the ependyma of the lateral ventricles. It can be divided according to morphology into 2: unilateral focal.
How is gray matter heterotopia treated?
Treatment. When seizures are present in any forms of cortical dysplasia, they are resistant to medication. Frontal lobe resection provides significant relief from seizures to a minority of patients with periventricular lesions.
What is grey matter heterotopia?
Grey matter heterotopia is a malformation of cortical development, where cortical cells (grey matter) are present in inappropriate locations in the brain, due to interruption in their migration to their correct location in the cerebral cortex. Grey matter heterotopia may be unilateral or bilateral, singular or multiple, separate or contiguous.
How common is developmental delay in gray matter heterotopia?
Developmental delay is common but neurological deficits are usually only seen in more severe cases of gray matter heterotopia with mild motor, sensory and visual defects being reported 51). Dyspraxia (difficulties with coordinated movement) and problems with fine motor skills have also been found 52).
What are the treatment options for gray matter heterotopia?
Gray matter heterotopia treatment. Treatment of epilepsy generally follows principles for a seizure disorder caused by a known structural brain abnormality. Carbamezipine is most often used, because most people with gray matter heterotopia have focal seizures.
Which imaging modality is best to assess heterotopic grey matter?
As is the case with most imaging of the central nervous system, MRI is the modality of choice in assessing heterotopic grey matter due to its as yet unsurpassed contrast resolution.