What is Agenesis of the corpus callosum?
It is a rare congenital condition, meaning it is present at birth. It can be inherited and the symptom of a rare disease, but it can also be caused by infection or trauma (injury) during weeks 12-22 of a pregnancy, which might affect the development of the fetal brain. It can also be caused by Fetal Alcohol syndrome, and exposure by the fetus to alcohol as it is developing.
It is the absence, either partial or complete, of the area of the brain that connects the two cerebral hemispheres. This can cause intellectual disability in some instances, but generally only impacts intellectual ability mildly. There is also usually only a mild impact on development as well, including social development.
The feature may also present with epileptic seizures. Generally, the feature is diagnosed during the first two years of life but in some cases, and especially when it is mild, may go undiagnosed for years.
Understanding brain-related symptoms and features
Symptoms may affect multiple parts of the body. Understanding which part of the body a symptom affects can help us to better understand the potential underlying causes of a symptom, including a rare disease or genetic syndrome.
The brain is the central organ of the nervous system, a system that includes not only the brain but also the sensory organs of the body, the spinal cords, and the nerves that connect them all. The nervous system is how the different parts of the body communicate with each other and control their responses to both internal and external stimuli.
Generally, symptoms affecting the brain can not be seen with the naked eye. Although diagnosing a brain-related symptom may involve different tests and assessments, both subjective and objective.
Symptoms relating to the brain may affect other parts of the body and development, including intellectual ability as well as the ability to move, speak, and other crucial bodily functions.
What should I do next?
In some instances, agenesis of corpus callosum may be one of the features of a rare disease or genetic syndrome. To find out if someone with Agenesis of Corpus Callosum, may be due to a genetic syndrome, it is important to have a consultation and evaluation with a clinical genetic specialist. Specialists may also suggest specific genetic testing or other types of tests to help reach a diagnosis. FDNA’s AI technology can help speed up the diagnostic process by analyzing facial features and other health information.