Malformations of cortical development

Abstract

Cerebral cortical malformations are common causes of neurodevelopmental delay and epilepsy and include a wide range of antenatal neurogenesis disorders. Abnormal cell proliferation leads to microcephaly or megalencephaly, incomplete neuronal migration results in heterotopia and lissencephaly, neuronal overmigration manifests as cobblestone malformations, and anomalous postmigrational cortical organization is responsible for polymicrogyria (PMG) and schizencephaly. Although corticogenesis occurs early, these rare pathologies are associated with late onset during pregnancy, which does not allow their early prenatal recognition. This review aims to give an update of current knowledge of these insidious cerebral cortical disorders.