- Acute Flaccid Myelitis
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Arteriovenous Malformations
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Back Pain
- Brain Aneurysm
- Brain Tumors
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Childhood Brain Tumors
- Delirium
- Dementia
- Hemorrhagic Stroke
- Ischemic Stroke
- Memory
- Meningitis
- Mild Cognitive Impairment
- Movement Disorders
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Neuroblastoma
- Neuromuscular Disorders
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Polio and Post-Polio Syndrome
- Speech and Language Problems in Children
- Stroke
- Transient Ischemic Attack
- Tremor
- Walking Problems
- West Nile Virus
- A1C
- Blood Glucose
- Diabetes
- Diabetes and Pregnancy
- Diabetes Complications
- Diabetes in Children and Teens
- Diabetes Medicines
- Diabetes Type 1
- Diabetes Type 2
- Diabetic Diet
- Diabetic Eye Problems
- Diabetic Foot
- Diabetic Heart Disease
- Diabetic Kidney Problems
- Diabetic Nerve Problems
- How to Prevent Diabetes
- Hyperglycemia
- Metabolic Syndrome
- Prediabetes
- Abortion
- Breast Cancer
- Breast Diseases
- Breast Reconstruction
- Breastfeeding
- Cervical Cancer
- Cervical Cancer Screening
- Cesarean Delivery
- Childbirth
- Ectopic Pregnancy
- Endometriosis
- Female Infertility
- Health Problems in Pregnancy
- High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy
- HIV and Pregnancy
- Hormone Replacement Therapy
- HPV
- Hysterectomy
- Infections and Pregnancy
- Mammography
- Mastectomy
- Menopause
- Menstruation
- Miscarriage
- Ovarian Cancer
- Ovarian Cysts
- Ovarian Disorders
- Pelvic Floor Disorders
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
- Pelvic Pain
- Period Pain
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy and Drug Use
- Pregnancy and Opioids
- Premenstrual Syndrome
- Prenatal Care
- Prenatal Testing
- Primary Ovarian Insufficiency
- Sexual Problems in Women
- Stillbirth
- Teenage Pregnancy
- Trichomoniasis
- Tubal Ligation
- Uterine Cancer
- Uterine Diseases
- Uterine Fibroids
- Vaginal Bleeding
- Vaginal Cancer
- Vaginal Diseases
- Vaginitis
- Vulvar Cancer
- Vulvar Disorders
- Yeast Infections
- Alcohol
- Calcium
- Child Nutrition
- Cholesterol
- Cholesterol Levels: What You Need to Know
- Cholesterol Medicines
- DASH Eating Plan
- Eating Disorders
- Food Allergy
- HDL: The “Good” Cholesterol
- High Cholesterol in Children and Teens
- How to Lower Cholesterol
- How to Lower Cholesterol with Diet
- Infant and Newborn Nutrition
- LDL: The “Bad” Cholesterol
- Malabsorption Syndromes
- Nutrition for Older Adults
- Pregnancy and Nutrition
- Toddler Nutrition
- Triglycerides
- VLDL Cholesterol
- Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency
- Ataxia Telangiectasia
- Brain Malformations
- Cerebral Palsy
- Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease
- Chiari Malformation
- Cleft Lip and Palate
- Color Blindness
- Congenital Heart Defects
- Craniofacial Abnormalities
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
- Friedreich Ataxia
- Genetic Counseling
- Hemophilia
- Huntington’s Disease
- Hydrocephalus
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Neural Tube Defects
- Neurofibromatosis
- Newborn Screening
- Osteogenesis Imperfecta
- Prader-Willi Syndrome
- Pregnancy and Medicines
- Rett Syndrome
- Sickle Cell Disease
- Spina Bifida
- Spinal Muscular Atrophy
- Tay-Sachs Disease
- Tourette Syndrome
- Tuberous Sclerosis
- Usher Syndrome
- Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia
- Allergy
- Animal Bites
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Aplastic Anemia
- Asthma
- Asthma in Children
- Childhood Leukemia
- Childhood Vaccines
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
- COVID-19 Vaccines
- Cryptosporidiosis
- Eosinophilic Disorders
- Eosinophilic Esophagitis
- Giant Cell Arteritis
- Hay Fever
- HIV
- HIV and Infections
- HIV in Women
- Hodgkin Lymphoma
- Infectious Diseases
- Infectious Mononucleosis
- Juvenile Arthritis
- Kawasaki Disease
- Lymphedema
- Lymphoma
- Multiple Myeloma
- Pemphigus
- Pneumocystis Infections
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Scleroderma
- Sjogren’s Syndrome
- Tonsillitis
- Vaccines
- Viral Infections
- Adhesions
- Ankle Injuries and Disorders
- Arm Injuries and Disorders
- Back Injuries
- Brachial Plexus Injuries
- Burns
- Chest Injuries and Disorders
- Concussion
- CPR
- Dislocated Shoulder
- Dislocations
- Elbow Injuries and Disorders
- Eye Injuries
- Facial Injuries and Disorders
- Finger Injuries and Disorders
- Foot Injuries and Disorders
- Fractures
- Hand Injuries and Disorders
- Heel Injuries and Disorders
- Hip Injuries and Disorders
- Inhalation Injuries
- Insect Bites and Stings
- Jaw Injuries and Disorders
- Knee Injuries and Disorders
- Leg Injuries and Disorders
- Mosquito Bites
- Neck Injuries and Disorders
- Rotator Cuff Injuries
- Shoulder Injuries and Disorders
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Sprains and Strains
- Tick Bites
- Toe Injuries and Disorders
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Wrist Injuries and Disorders
- Acute Bronchitis
- Bird Flu
- Chronic Bronchitis
- COPD
- COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019)
- Croup
- E-Cigarettes
- Fistulas
- Flu
- Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis
- H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)
- Legionnaires’ Disease
- Lung Cancer
- Mesothelioma
- Pneumonia
- Pulmonary Hypertension
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections
- Sleep Apnea
- Smoking
- Tuberculosis
- Whooping Cough
- Anatomy
- Assisted Reproductive Technology
- Birth Control
- Chlamydia Infections
- Circumcision
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Genital Herpes
- Genital Warts
- Gonorrhea
- Herpes Simplex
- Infertility
- Male Infertility
- Penis Disorders
- Prostate Cancer
- Prostate Cancer Screening
- Prostate Diseases
- Reproductive Hazards
- Sexual Health
- Sexual Problems in Men
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- Syphilis
- Testicular Cancer
- Testicular Disorders
- Vasectomy
- Abdominal Pain
- Bad Breath
- Bleeding
- Breathing Problems
- Bruises
- Chest Pain
- Choking
- Chronic Pain
- Constipation
- Cough
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness and Vertigo
- Edema
- Fainting
- Fever
- Frostbite
- Gas
- Gastrointestinal Bleeding
- Headache
- Heartburn
- Heat Illness
- Hives
- Hypothermia
- Indigestion
- Itching
- Jaundice
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Pain
- Rare Diseases
- Raynaud’s Disease
- Sciatica
- Speech and Communication Disorders
- Stuttering
Brain Malformations
Summary
Most brain malformations begin long before a baby is born. Something damages the developing nervous system or causes it to develop abnormally. Sometimes it’s a genetic problem. In other cases, exposure to certain medicines, infections, or radiation during pregnancy interferes with brain development. Parts of the brain may be missing, abnormally small or large, or not fully developed.
Treatment depends upon the problem. In many cases, treatment only helps with symptoms. It may include antiseizure medicines, shunts to drain fluid from the brain, and physical therapy.
There are head malformations that do not involve the brain. Craniofacial disorders are the result of abnormal growth of soft tissue and bones in the face and head. It’s common for new babies to have slightly uneven heads, but parents should watch the shape of their baby’s head for possible problems.
NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Specifics
- Absence of the Septum Pellucidum National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Aicardi Syndrome National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Colpocephaly National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Dandy-Walker Syndrome National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Facts about Microcephaly Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Holoprosencephaly National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Hydranencephaly National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Lissencephaly National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Megalencephaly National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Microcephaly National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Microcephaly Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Neuronal Migration Disorders National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Porencephaly National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Schizencephaly National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Septo-Optic Dysplasia National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Encyclopedia
- Aicardi syndrome Medical Encyclopedia
- Head CT scan Medical Encyclopedia
- Head MRI Medical Encyclopedia
- Increased head circumference Medical Encyclopedia
- Microcephaly Medical Encyclopedia
- Skull x-ray Medical Encyclopedia
- Sutures – separated Medical Encyclopedia
Genetics
- Aicardi syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Amish lethal microcephaly: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Andermann syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Autosomal recessive primary microcephaly: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Baraitser-Winter syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Cerebral cavernous malformation: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Dandy-Walker malformation: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Hartsfield syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Isolated lissencephaly sequence: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Lissencephaly with cerebellar hypoplasia: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Meckel syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Megalencephaly-capillary malformation syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Megalencephaly-polymicrogyria-polydactyly-hydrocephalus syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Microcephaly, seizures, and developmental delay: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Microcephaly-capillary malformation syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Miller-Dieker syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Nonsyndromic holoprosencephaly: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Opitz G/BBB syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Pallister-Hall syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Periventricular heterotopia: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Polymicrogyria: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Septo-optic dysplasia: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Subcortical band heterotopia: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Trisomy 13: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Vici syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- X-linked lissencephaly with abnormal genitalia: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
Patient Handouts
- Brain surgery Medical Encyclopedia
- Brain surgery – discharge Medical Encyclopedia
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Nervous System Malformations National Institutes of Health
Diagnosis and Tests
- Computed Tomography (CT) — Head Radiological Society of North America
- Cranial Ultrasound Radiological Society of North America
- Head MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) Radiological Society of North America
Related Issues
- Microcephaly and Other Birth Defects: Zika Virus Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Find an Expert
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Journal Articles
Reference Desk
- Your Brain and Nervous System Nemours Foundation