Genetic Predisposition in Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a major neurodevelopmental disorder with an estimated prevalence of approximately one in 500 children. It is characterised by permanent developmental disorders of movement and posture, responsible for activity limitations, caused by non-progressive damage to the brain of the fetus, newborn or infant during development. The neurobiological mechanisms involved in CP remain poorly understood, although the interruption of cerebral oxygen supply during pregnancy or at the time of delivery is classically considered to be the main factor causing neurodevelopmental sequelae. CP also occurs in full-term infants without a clearly identifiable etiology.

Data from the literature suggest the existence of other pathophysiological processes than only acquired brain lesions related to pregnancy and delivery, such as genetic or epigenetic factors. According to some research teams, nearly one third of CP could have a genetic cause or could be favoured by genetic variants.

Preliminary research has made significant progress in revealing unusual copy number variants and/or mutations in single genes in children with CP. Several of the identified genes are involved in neurodevelopment and neuronal connectivity. Nevertheless, the identification of these abnormalities in CP may contribute to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of this complex and multifactorial disorder. It could also shed new light on the analysis of medico-legal files and bring encouraging perspectives by targeting new therapeutic interventions.

The main hypothesis is that a certain number of cerebral palsies are related to - or favoured by - genetic abnormalities that we will search for with genetic screening tests.