AnencephalySymptoms, Doctors, Treatments, Advances & More
Learn About Anencephaly
Anencephaly is a condition that prevents the normal development of the brain and the bones of the skull. This condition results when a structure called the neural tube fails to close during the first few weeks of embryonic development. The neural tube is a layer of cells that ultimately develops into the brain and spinal cord. Because anencephaly is caused by abnormalities of the neural tube, it is classified as a neural tube defect.
Anencephaly is a complex condition that is likely caused by the interaction of multiple genetic and environmental factors. Some of these factors have been identified, but many remain unknown.
Anencephaly is one of the most common types of neural tube defect, affecting about 1 in 1,000 pregnancies. However, most of these pregnancies end in miscarriage, so the prevalence of this condition in newborns is much lower. An estimated 1 in 10,000 infants in the United States is born with anencephaly.
Most cases of anencephaly are sporadic, which means they occur in people with no history of the disorder in their family. A small percentage of cases have been reported to run in families; however, the condition does not have a clear pattern of inheritance. For parents who have had a child with anencephaly, the risk of having another affected child is increased compared with the risk in the general population.
U Of M Neurology Clinic
Jack M. Parent, M.D., is a professor of neurology, director of the Neurodevelopment and Regeneration Laboratory, and co-director of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center in the University of Michigan Medical School.His current research interests include neural stem cell transplantation to treat brain injury and neurodegeneration, and the modification of adult neural stem cells to promote brain repair after stroke or prevent epilepsy.Dr. Parent earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, with distinction, in human biology from Stanford University and his medical degree from the Yale University School of Medicine. He completed a medical internship and neurology residency at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where he was selected chief resident. He stayed at UCSF for clinical fellowship training in epilepsy and clinical neurophysiology, and postdoctoral training in neuroscience research.An internationally recognized research leader in the fields of neural stem cell biology, regeneration after brain injury and epilepsy, Dr. Parent established the Neurodevelopment and Regeneration Laboratory at the U-M in 2000.Dr. Parent is a member of the Epilepsy Foundation of America Research Council, the Medical Advisory Board of the Global Ischemia Foundation, the Independent Science Review Panel of the New Jersey Commission on Brain Injury Research, and the National Scientific Advisory Council of the American Federation for Aging Research. He also serves as an associate editor of Neuroscience Letters, and is on the editorial boards of Experimental Neurology and Epilepsy Currents.He has received several awards for his research, including a Junior Investigator Award from the American Epilepsy Society, a Paul Beeson Physician Faculty Scholars in Aging Award, a Dreifuss-Penry Epilepsy Award from the American Academy of Neurology, and a Grass Foundation Award in Neuroscience from the American Neurological Association. Dr. Parent is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Anencephaly. He is also highly rated in 13 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Myoclonic Epilepsy, Epilepsy, Epilepsy with Myoclonic-Atonic Seizures, and Dravet Syndrome. Dr. Parent is board certified in Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology.
Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware
Nina Powell is a Medical Genetics provider practicing medicine in Wilmington, Delaware. She has been practicing medicine for over 30 years. Dr. Powell is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Anencephaly. She is also highly rated in 45 other conditions, according to our data. Her clinical expertise encompasses Microcephaly, PIK3CA-Related Overgrowth Spectrum, Chromosome 13q Deletion, and Increased Head Circumference. Dr. Powell is board certified in American Board Of Medical Genetics And Genomics.
Maternal Fetal Associates Of The Mid Atlantic LLC
Mohammed Elkousy is an Obstetrics and Gynecologist practicing medicine in Reston, Virginia. Dr. Elkousy is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Anencephaly. He is also highly rated in 5 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Placental Insufficiency, Methimazole Antenatal Exposure, Gestational Diabetes, and Acalvaria.
Published Date: October 01, 2019
Published By: National Institutes of Health