What are congenital brain defects?
Definition Congenital brain defects are a group of disorders of brain development. Description Brain development begins shortly after conception and continues throughout the growth of a fetus. A complex genetic program coordinates the formation, growth, and migration of billions of neurons, or nerve cells, and their development into discrete, interacting brain regions. Interruption of this program, especially early in development, can cause structural defects in the brain. In addition, normal brain formation requires proper development of the surrounding skull, and skull defects may lead to brain malformation. Congenital brain defects may be caused by inherited genetic defects, spontaneous mutations within the genes of the embryo, or effects on the embryo due to the mother’s infection, trauma, or drug use. Early on in development, a flat strip of tissue along the back of the fetus rolls up to form a tube. This so-called “neural tube” develops into the spinal cord, and at one end, the b
