Hypoplasia of the cerebellar vermis - what is it?

Cerebellum

The cerebellum is one of the structural parts of the brain, located at the back of it. In Latin it sounds like “cerebellum”, which literally means “small brain”. The volume of the cerebellum is relatively small, but it contains a significant part of the main cells of nervous tissue, called neurons. Like all organs and tissues in the human body, the cerebellum is susceptible to the development of various pathologies, including congenital ones, which include hypoplasia. Hypoplasia means underdevelopment, which is manifested not only by insufficient size, but also by dysfunctions for which this organ is responsible.

In rare cases, severe cerebellar hypoplasia in combination with other developmental pathologies can lead to the death of a child in the first months after birth.

Hypoplasia of the cerebellar vermis in a child: symptoms, treatment, prevention

Vermis hypoplasia is a defect in the intrauterine development of the cerebellum, leading to a partial impairment of motor function; symptoms appear in the first days of the baby’s life.

The cerebellum (in Latin – “Cerrebelum”, which literally translates as “small brain”) is a part of the brain.

Located in the back of the brain, it is responsible for coordinating human muscle movements, maintaining balance in space and muscle tension, or tone, and also controls internal organs. The small brain itself belongs to the autonomic central nervous system - the work of the cerebellum occurs unconsciously.

The following definition applies to the cerebellar vermis - it is its middle part. It communicates between opposite lobules. The worm is responsible for a person’s ability to maintain a posture.

Hypoplasia of the cerebellar vermis leads to loss of the ability to stand and walk normally.

• 1 Reasons
• 2 Symptoms
• 3 Treatment
• 4 Prevention

Structure and functions of the cerebellum

As part of the brain, the cerebellum is part of the central nervous system and transmits impulses to the peripheral nervous system. The cerebellum consists of two main parts connected by a thin bridge called the vermis. It is responsible for gait; thanks to it, the movements of a healthy person look natural and do not attract any attention. But hypoplasia of the cerebellar vermis leads to the fact that the gait becomes unbalanced and resembles a set of incoherent movements.

In its thickness, the cerebellum has four nuclei. Each consists of a certain number of a certain type of neurons and responds to one of the functions of the cerebellum, to which

relate:

• coordination of movements, that is, control of conscious movements;
• control of smooth and cardiac muscles. It is the cerebellum that controls the work of the heart, preventing it from stopping, as well as the stomach;
• participation in language coordination.

Symptoms of brain hypoplasia

Microcephaly is primarily manifested by a significant decrease in both the mass and volume of the brain. In addition, the structure of internal structures changes in it, and other gross disturbances of the anatomical structure are also observed. The convolutions in the frontal and temporal lobes are underdeveloped and shallow. In this case, small convolutions are almost completely absent and only the largest ones are preserved.

With microcephaly, the visual thalamus, brain stem, and pyramids of the medulla oblongata also decrease in size.

The reduced size of the brain leads to the fact that the diameter of the skull is less than the age norm. Subsequently, as a baby with cerebral hypoplasia grows, the bones of his facial part of the skull begin to grow much faster than the brain. This leads to visible deformation of the skull.

All patients have intellectual impairment, expressed to a greater or lesser extent. Sick children also have delayed physical development. They begin to hold their head up, turn on their side, sit, crawl, stand and walk quite late.

Causes of cerebellar hypoplasia

Cerebellar hypoplasia is a congenital disease. That is, the disease develops during the period when the child is in intrauterine development. Thus, the reasons for which the anomaly develops have an effect on the fetus before its development. The effect of such pathogenic causes is especially great in the first trimester of pregnancy. It is during this period that the formation of the main nervous system occurs, the disruption of which will not pass without a trace in the subsequent months of pregnancy. In the first three months of pregnancy, you should postpone all non-urgent operations and manipulations in the body and protect yourself from any external influences that may affect the health of the child.

Bad habits of the mother can cause the development of cerebellar hypoplasia. Nicotine tar and harmful toxins inhaled by a smoking mother also enter the child’s body. This leads to disruption of cerebellar activity. Nicotine tends to clog blood vessels, causing insufficient supply of necessary oxygen to the fetus, which causes hypoxia. Alcohol and drugs can also lead to the development of pathology in the unborn child. Ethanol, penetrating the placental barrier, can disrupt all processes of organ formation in a child. Some infections are also dangerous for the baby, for example, cytomegalovirus infection.

Insufficient nutrition of the mother during pregnancy, lack of vitamins and microelements in the diet of a pregnant woman also threatens the underdevelopment of the cerebellum and other parts of the brain. Increased radiation exposure can have the same effect.

Mutations are also one of the reasons for the development of cerebellar hypoplasia. In this case, the disease is hereditary and is transmitted from parents to children.

Causes of the disease

Cerebellar hypoplasia, which affects certain areas of this part of the brain, develops at the intrauterine stage of the formation of future life. In addition to hereditary predisposition, the following factors lead to the occurrence of the disease.

Alcohol . Ethanol supplied with alcoholic beverages easily passes through the placental barrier. It not only affects the fetus, but begins to accumulate in its central nervous system. During the decomposition process, it breaks down into carcinogenic acetaldehyde. Penetrating through the BBB (blood-brain barrier), this substance has a detrimental effect on the baby’s central nervous system structures.

Smoking , in which the greatest impact is not from nicotine, but from the toxic components contained. They have a detrimental effect on the process of the formation of the neural tube, the construction of the spinal cord and brain as a whole. This effect is complex, therefore, along with hypoplasia of the cerebellar vermis, other congenital problems appear in the child.

Drug addiction . Regular or periodic use of narcotic drugs means that cerebellar vermis hypoplasia has become a common disease. Similar harm is caused by uncontrolled use of medications and the use of drugs prohibited during pregnancy and lactation.

Radiation - excessive exposure of the mother is associated not only with unauthorized diagnostic procedures, but also with being in areas where the radioactive situation has deteriorated. Isotopes can accumulate in amniotic fluid, as well as the placenta, destructively affecting the structural characteristics of DNA.

Intoxication with chemical components with a toxic effect, volatile mixtures, biological substances.

Infectious diseases . For example, rubella, which is not dangerous in its normal state, poses a great threat to pregnant women and leads to hypoplasia of the child’s cerebellum.

That is why this disease becomes an indication for artificial termination of pregnancy in the first trimester. However, even in the 2-3 trimesters, drug treatment will not be particularly effective. ARVI and influenza pose a similar risk.

To prevent risks, you need to take a responsible approach to your health when planning to conceive and while carrying a baby.

Symptoms

Patients with cerebellar hypoplasia have approximately the same symptoms, the manifestation of which is a violation of the child’s motor activity. The range of movements that a child can perform is small and does not correspond to his age. Hypokinesia develops, the volume and complexity of movements are small. Joint diseases may occur. Trembling of the arms, legs, and head is observed, and the person is unable to control it. The torso may acquire an atypical position. Children with this pathology may develop deafness and visual impairment. Mental imbalance, irritability manifests itself, and disturbances in the functioning of the heart and breathing are possible. Adaptation of such a child to the outside world is more difficult. Speech impairment and delay, mental retardation occur. Such a child learns worse, and when becoming an adult, he cannot be an independent member of society. But in some cases, by the age of ten, some functions are restored. With a disease such as cerebellar vermis hypoplasia, the main symptom of the disease is an uncoordinated gait. A sick person stands out when walking with a vague set of movements.

Cerebellar hypoplasia: what it is, symptoms, how to treat it

The cerebellum is a part of the brain that regulates human posture and is responsible for the coordination and tone of the muscular system. Performs control of rapid, conscious movements.

Above it are the pons and the medulla oblongata. The cerebellum forms the roof of the fourth ventricle. Structurally, the cerebellum is represented by two hemispheres (new part).

Cerebellar hypoplasia makes adjustments to the structure and functioning of the entire organism.

In humans, due to the development of upright walking skills and the ability for purposeful work activity, both hemispheres are well developed. In the middle is the cerebellar vermis (phylogenetically the more ancient part). It provides stabilization of the body position, helps maintain balance, and gives stability.

Regulates the tone of most muscle groups of the upper limb and torso, and carries out their joint work (synergism). The cerebellum is composed of gray and white matter. The first of them branches, penetrating between the second, and forms peculiar lines that, in cross-section, resemble the silhouette of a tree - the tree of life of the cerebellum.

The section of the brain in question has several pairs of legs (three), each of which connects it to a specific element of the brain. The lower peduncle connects the cerebellum with the medulla oblongata, the middle one with the pons, and the upper one with the midbrain. Signals carrying information both from and to the cerebellum pass through them.

To successfully perform its functions, the cerebellum constantly receives information coming from proprioceptors located throughout the body, as well as from other brain structures that perform a similar function.

Therefore, when it is damaged, disorders associated with a violation of statics arise (that is, with the ability to maintain a stable position of the center of gravity of the human body).

Impaired coordination of movements, muscle hypotonia, and nystagmus occur.

What is cerebellar hypoplasia

Cerebellar hypoplasia (otherwise known as microcephaly) is a decrease in the volume of the entire brain formation in question or one of its parts, leading to irreversible consequences for the body as a whole, that is, disrupting its normal development.

This pathology is formed during the intrauterine development of the child. The causes of this process in half of the cases are genetic predisposition due to combinative variability.

The other half of cases of development of cerebellar pathology are caused by teratogenic factors affecting the mother during pregnancy. These include alcohol, drugs, radiation, and infectious diseases. These factors have a particularly strong impact on the health of the fetus in the first trimester of its development, when the formation of the main body systems (nervous system) occurs.

Hypoplasia of the cerebellar vermis always affects its intermediate part - the vermis, causing its agenesis (lack of development). Depending on the severity of the disease, this process can be widespread or partial. Both hemispheres of the cerebellum, or only one of the two, are affected. The main diagnostic method is ultrasound examination.

Symptoms of cerebellar hypoplasia

The clinical picture depends on the severity of the lesion. The most common symptoms of cerebellar hypoplasia:

• difficulties in performing targeted movements;
• mismatch of movements;
• motor impairment;
• tremor of the limbs;
• head tremor;
• nystagmus - movements of the eyeballs that occur involuntarily;
• muscle weakness;
• mental retardation;
• speech defects (scanned speech - words are emphasized according to rhythm, not meaning);
• other speech defects that do not correspond to the child’s age;
• visual and hearing impairments;
• disruption of the heart and some other body systems;
• Difficulty adapting to a team.

Single symptoms usually begin to appear at an early age and reach a maximum by 10 years of age. Once it is reached, the disease progresses slowly, without affecting vital organs (not taking into account cases where the child was born with pathologies of the respiratory or circulatory systems).

In cases where cerebellar hypoplasia is mild, many symptoms do not manifest themselves in any way, and the child has only slight disturbances in motor coordination or fine motor skills.

But, unfortunately, in some cases the picture of the disease is unfavorable. Hypoplasia of the cerebellar vermis in this case is extensive, affecting important areas.

It is worth knowing that modern medicine has means aimed at making the life of a child with such a diagnosis easier, but there is no treatment aimed at completely getting rid of its manifestations.

One of the leading roles in the rehabilitation of a child is played by parental care and love.

Diagnosis of cerebellar hypoplasia

Diagnosis of pathology, like a number of other diseases, consists of two fundamental stages. At the first stage, the doctor assumes a diagnosis of cerebellar hypoplasia based on the collection and analysis of the small patient’s complaints, questioning his life history and medical history.

After this, the specialist prescribes additional studies. The second stage of instrumental diagnostics begins, at which an objectively confirmed diagnosis can be made.

As a rule, the main instrumental method in case of hypoplasia is ultrasound diagnostics.

Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging also provide invaluable assistance in differentiating the disease.

Treatment of cerebellar hypoplasia

Unfortunately, at the moment there is no therapy that guarantees a complete cure for the child. Treatment is aimed at maintaining the level of health and limiting the progression of the disease. These methods include:

• classes with a psychologist and speech therapist;
• physiotherapy;
• massages;
• taking vitamins;
• occupational therapy;
• physical therapy aimed at developing coordination skills.

Particular attention should be paid to the massage technique. Hypoplasia of the cerebellar vermis does not allow the child to exercise control over muscle tone. Therefore, it is advisable to use therapeutic massage, which can compensate for this. It can be performed by both specialists and, after special training, parents.

To improve coordination, exercises to develop balance are also used.

Handicrafts (assembling construction sets, modeling from clay or plasticine, origami) help improve fine motor skills.

It is best to start classes with a speech therapist at an early age and not stop until puberty. In this situation, speech defects can be completely avoided.

Solving age-appropriate logical problems will help develop thinking skills.

And of course, it’s worth repeating once again about the importance of parental love and care. A lot of mental and physical strength will be spent, but it will definitely pay off with the joy of the baby’s successes and achievements.

Prevention of cerebellar hypoplasia

The best prevention of any developmental pathologies in a child is a healthy lifestyle for the mother, not only during gestation and pregnancy planning, but throughout her entire life.

Use medications only after consulting a doctor. Avoid stress, monitor the quality of your diet, listen to your body and periodically visit a specialist. Following these simple recommendations will minimize possible risks and complications.

Source: https://MozgPortal.ru/zabolevaniya/gipoplaziya-mozzhechka.html

Diagnostics

To diagnose cerebellar hypoplasia, DNA testing of both parents should be performed. But first of all, it is worth examining in a similar way a parent in whose family there was cerebellar hypoplasia, because a person does not necessarily have to suffer from this pathology. He may be its carrier, which means it is quite possible that he passes it on to his offspring.

If the diagnosis of cerebellar hypoplasia is in question, during an external examination, the neurologist conducts a series of motor, speech, and mental exercises that can help identify signs of pathology. By conducting these tests, the doctor evaluates the child’s ability to maintain balance, ability to think, visual and hearing acuity, and the level of speech development according to age. The diagnosis can be made by a group of doctors, including not only a neurologist, but also a therapist, cardiologist, pulmonologist, ophthalmologist, and psychologist. To clarify the diagnosis, more accurate research methods are prescribed, such as magnetic resonance and computed tomography. After these studies, the diagnosis can be made very clearly.

Treatment

Cerebellar hypoplasia is a serious pathology. Children with it sometimes do not live to see a year, and deaths occur. It is impossible to completely cure it, but it is quite possible to prepare the child for the outside world as much as possible and maintain this state.

If concomitant pathologies of the heart, respiratory system, hearing and vision develop, treatment is carried out by appropriate specialists.

One of the important stages of treatment is body massage, performed by both professional massage therapists and parents after their training. With cerebellar hypoplasia, the movements necessary for normal muscle tone are not carried out, so massage can compensate for this. Therapeutic exercise also helps to fill the volume of missing movements and maintain the muscular framework of the body.

To improve coordination, exercises are carried out with the child aimed at teaching balance with the body, arms and legs. Any handicraft hobby is very helpful for developing movements, for example, origami, drawing, assembling construction sets, practicing with plasticine and clay. Thanks to these manipulations, you can develop fine motor skills of your hands. Any occupational therapy will benefit the child, and if you choose an activity that he likes, the results will be even better.

Classes with a speech therapist should be carried out from a young age, continuing until adolescence. For better speech development, parents can carry out simple language exercises at home with their child on their own. To support mental development, it is necessary to constantly conduct logical exercises in accordance with age.

It is important to remember that the love and care of parents is the main treatment for any illness. Professional therapy will be more powerful if it is supported by proper home care. Therefore, not everything, but a lot is in the hands of parents. It takes a lot of effort, energy, and patience to give a child a chance to care for himself as an adult. Making a child ready for independent life is often within the power of parents.

Cerebellar hypoplasia: symptoms and treatment

The main manifestations of cerebellar underdevelopment are the following symptoms:

Delayed psychomotor development of the child. In children, the development of speech function is delayed; they begin to sit, stand and walk late. Often, already in the first year of life, sick babies develop trembling (tremor) of the limbs and head. There are problems maintaining the body in a state of balance; Clumsy gait. Many children suffering from cerebellar hypoplasia cannot move independently and require assistance.

The increase in the severity of the intensity of the symptoms listed above continues until the child reaches the age of ten years. After which the condition stabilizes somewhat.

In some patients, cerebellar hypoplasia is accompanied by the development of mental deficiency and/or loss of vision and hearing.

Doctors today cannot cure children with cerebellar hypoplasia. Therapy mainly consists of very long-term measures of motor and social rehabilitation. This includes classes with a speech therapist, physical therapy, massage, balance therapy, and occupational therapy. This allows not only to instill in patients self-care skills, but also to somewhat improve their general condition.

Never despair! Even in such cases when the child is given such a serious and terrible diagnosis. Medicine does not stand still and what is impossible today may well be available tomorrow! And there’s no need to talk about the healing power of mother’s love!

Prevention

To prevent the development of cerebellar hypoplasia, a pregnant woman must give up all bad habits (alcohol, smoking, drugs) not only during pregnancy, but also during the stages of planning a child. A healthy lifestyle can protect you from many health problems.

A balanced diet is an essential element in the fight against pathology.

Avoiding contact with people suffering from various infectious and viral infections will not be superfluous during pregnancy.

If there is a risk of having a child with a pathology due to the presence of relatives with this anomaly, screening tests can save from the birth of a baby with a pathology.

For the purpose of prevention, it is necessary to minimize all types of external influences and any opportunities for injury that can have a mutational effect on the fetus.

It should be remembered that the first three months of pregnancy are very important, as the foundations of the child’s body are laid. The last three months can be dangerous with the threat of premature birth. In this case, it will be more difficult for the baby to fight the existing pathology and the chances of a favorable outcome will decrease. Therefore, during these periods, a pregnant woman should be especially careful and take good care of her body.