Their finding, which they described as surprising, could lead to a way to prevent the condition, which affects one out of 1,000 babies. The study of newborns showed that babies who later developed cerebral palsy were born with higher concentrations of immune signaling chemicals known as cytokines. Many also had high levels of blood coagulation factors. Cerebral palsy is characterized by poor muscle control ranging from clumsiness to severe paralysis.
Some patients have spastic tremors and some have learning disorders.
About 10 to 15 percent of cases are caused by a loss of oxygen during birth. Cerebral palsy is also more common in premature babies and can be caused by brain injury related to meningitis or severe dehydration. But the cause of the majority of cases is unknown. She set out to find out why and to see if there was a way to prevent this from ever happening. The key seems to be inflammation, she reported in the Annals of Neurology.