Evaluation of Brain MRI Changes in Cerebral Palsy Patients

Cerebral palsy is a neurodevelopmental syndrome that arises during fetal or infant development. Cerebral palsy is defined by a static insult to the brain, such as hypoxia, brain ischemia from stroke or hypotension, infection, or trauma. This brain insult then gives rise to impairment in movement and posture. In developed nations, cerebral palsy accounts for the most common cause of childhood motor disability. Additionally, as medical care advances, survival into adulthood is increasing. Thus, studying the changes associated with cerebral palsy during the aging process is important to providing care to these individuals.

A key part of the cerebral palsy definition is a non-progressive brain injury. However, as people with cerebral palsy age, their function often deteriorates. This study seeks to determine whether changes to brain structure may underlie the functional changes, as they do in other traumatic or ischemic brain injuries. There are established findings of white matter changes, grey matter changes, stroke, and vascular malformation using brain MRI in cerebral palsy, although approximately 13-14% of patients imaged have no injuries visible seen on a clinical MRI brain examination.

These MRI changes are believed to be the representative static lesion(s) that occurred during fetal development or infancy and caused cerebral palsy. The investigators propose that there are structural changes identifiable through MR brain imaging in patients with cerebral palsy over time. Additionally, the clinical and functional worsening seen in cerebral palsy patients as they age may correlate with these MRI changes.

Inclusion criteria

• Have multiple MRI scans of brain and/or spinal cord spaced at least 24 months apart
• Between 18-80 years of age with at least one MRI scan after the age of 18
• No known central or peripheral neurological disease or injury other than cerebral palsy causing brain degeneration
• Inclusion in CPRN registry
• diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy
• >18 years of age
• Have received at least one past brain MRI scan as part of standard care (patients who have two or more brain MRI scans can be included in the retrospective arm only)

Exclusion criteria

• History of more than one seizure in lifetime
• History of known degenerative genetic disorder
• History of brain tumor, abscess, or multiple sclerosis
• History of moderate or severe head trauma
• History of metal implants in head