National Organization for Disorders of the Corpus Callosum
National Organization for Disorders of the Corpus Callosum (NODCC)
Disorders of the corpus callosum are conditions in which the corpus callosum does not develop in a typical manner. Since these are disorders of brain structure, they can only be diagnosed by brain scan, including:
- Pre/postnatal sonogram (ultrasound)
- Computerized Axial Tomography (CT-scan or CAT scan)
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
The disruptions to the development of the corpus callosum occur during the 5th to 16th week of pregnancy. There is no single cause and many different factors can interfere with this development, including:
- Prenatal infections or viruses (for example, rubella)
- Chromosomal (genetic) abnormalities (for example, trisomy 8 and 18, Andermann syndrome, and Aicardi syndrome)
- Toxic metabolic conditions (for example, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome)
- Blockage of the growth of the corpus callosum (for example, cysts)
Disorders of the corpus callosum are not illnesses or diseases, but abnormalities of brain structure. Many people with these conditions are healthy. However, other individuals with disorders of the corpus callosum do require medical intervention due to seizures and/or other medical problems they have in addition to the disorder of the corpus callosum.
Current research suggests that as many as 1 person in 3,000 is affected by some disorder of the corpus callosum. The rate of diagnosis of these disorders is likely to increase with greater access to the brain scanning technology listed above.