Familial porencephaly - Genetics Home Reference

Familial porencephaly

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• Description
• Genetic changes
• Inheritance
• Treatment
• Additional information
• Other names
• Glossary definitions

Reviewed September 2011

What is familial porencephaly?

Familial porencephaly is part of a group of conditions called the COL4A1-related disorders. The conditions in this group have a range of signs and symptoms that involve fragile blood vessels. In familial porencephaly, fluid-filled cysts develop in the brain (porencephaly) during fetal development or soon after birth. These cysts typically occur in only one side of the brain and vary in size. The cysts are thought to be the result of bleeding within the brain (hemorrhagic stroke). People with this condition also have leukoencephalopathy, which is a change in a type of brain tissue called white matter that can be seen with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
During infancy, people with familial porencephaly typically have paralysis affecting one side of the body (infantile hemiplegia). Affected individuals may also have recurrent seizures (epilepsy), migraine headaches, speech problems, intellectual disability, and uncontrolled muscle tensing (dystonia). Some people are severely affected, and others may have no symptoms related to the brain cysts.

How common is familial porencephaly?

Familial porencephaly is a rare condition, although the exact prevalence is unknown. At least eight affected families have been described in the scientific literature.

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Familial porencephaly - Genetics Home Reference