According to the Children’s Hemiplegia and Stroke Association, cerebral palsy is a term that refers to a variety of movement disorders that are caused by defects in the development of, or damage to, a child’s brain before, during or just after birth. Possible causes of brain damage include head trauma, stroke or infections such as rubella, which can affect the areas of the brain that control movement.
White Matter
One of the most commonly observed forms of brain damage in cerebral palsy are tiny holes in the parts of the brain that transmit signals down to the body. This is termed periventricular leukomalacia, and these gaps in the white matter interfere with the normal transmission of nerve impulses, says the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
Motor Cortex
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, another area of the brain which can be damaged is the outer layer, the cerebral cortex, which lies just beneath the skull. One particular part, the motor cortex, is responsible for the generation of the nerve signals that control muscle movement. Damage occurs if the baby has a stroke or there is a lack of oxygen before or during birth.
Thalamus
In addition to the motor cortex, bleeding or lack of oxygen in a baby’s brain can also result in damage to the thalamus, a deeper region of the brain which coordinates all the signals going to and from the body, states Dr. Rebecca Folkerth in a December 2005 issue of the "Journal of Child Neurology."
Cerebellum
The cerebellum is an area at the back of the brain which controls fine movements and stores the ability to remember movement patterns. It is commonly damaged in infants who develop cerebral palsy after being born extremely prematurely, states Dr. Stanley Johnson an colleagues in a January 2005 issue of the "Journal of Child Neurology."
References
- Children’s Hemiplegia and Stroke Association: Cerebral Palsy
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Cerebral Palsy, Hope Through Research
- “Journal of Child Neurology”; Neuropathologic Substrate of Cerebral Palsy; Rebecca Folkerth, MD; December 2005
- “Journal of Child Neurology”; Frequency and Nature of Cerebellar Injury in the Extremely Premature Survivor With Cerebral Palsy; Stanley Johnson, MD, John Bodensteiner, MD, Timothy Lotze, MD, PhD; January 2005
