The nation's leading supporter of biomedical research on disorders of the brain and nervous system. Schizencephaly is an extremely rare developmental disorder characterized by abnormal slits, or clefts, in the brain's cerebral hemispheres. Schizencephaly is a form of porencephaly in which there is a cyst or cavity in the cerebral hemispheres.
Most patients have seizures.
Some may have hydrocephalus. The prognosis for individuals with schizencephaly varies depending on the size of the clefts and the degree of neurological deficit. The knowledge gained from these fundamental studies provides the foundation for understanding how this process can go awry and, thus, offers hope for new means to treat and prevent developmental brain disorders, including schizencephaly. I, 2nd edition, W.B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, pp. Barth, P. Schizencephaly and Nonlissencephalic Cortical Dysplasias.