Abstract
Objective: Patients with lesions of the corpus callosum are rare and may present different symptoms of the disconnection syndrome. However, to-date studies on callosotomized patients have not been conclusive, likely because of the non-uniform nature of clinical features, the extent of resection, and methods used to investigate specific and related deficits. Agenesis of the corpus callosum (AgCC) may be asymptomatic and discovered incidentally or associated with very slight deficits diagnosed during neurological examinations. In this study, we reported a case of an apparently completely asymptomatic 23-year-old woman with appreciable agenesis of the splenium of the corpus callosum.Methods: She underwent a neurological evaluation, a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests to identify any subclinical dysfunction that may affect the functionality of the subject in the daily life. Specifically, the possible presence of emotion dysregulation was examined by using a self-report questionnaire.Results: She showed normal neuropsychological and emotional functioning, performing efficiently on tests measuring acquired brain impairment.Discussion: The present case is discussed in terms of neuroplasticity – with a focus on putative compensatory mechanisms – emphasizing the variegated clinical feature patterns of brain defects present from birth.
Highlights
The corpus callosum is the largest white matter commissure connecting the cerebral hemispheres (Aboitiz and Montiel, 2003; Schell-Apacik et al, 2008)
Visual scanning and visual integrative skills were within the normal range at the clinical observation, but visuospatial abilities were preserved when evaluated through Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – IV edition (WAIS-IV) sub-tests
The fact that YW’s postnatal development history, long-term functional independence in her daily living, and current cognitive performance were normal supports the view that partial AgenesisAgenesis of the corpus callosum (AgCC) has not prevented normal cognitive development – unlike what happens in cases of complete agenesis (Paul et al, 2007)
Summary
The corpus callosum is the largest white matter commissure connecting the cerebral hemispheres (Aboitiz and Montiel, 2003; Schell-Apacik et al, 2008). It is regarded as having a role of transfer, integration and coordination of information between homologous brain areas and as being involved in learning, memory, thinking, three-dimensional visual ability, executive functions, as well as visual reaction time (Huang et al, 2015). AgCC encompasses complete absence as well as hypogenesis of the corpus callosum (Paul et al, 2007); the cause of AgCC in humans is not yet sufficiently known (only in 30–45% of cases). In the remaining 55–70% of individuals with AgCC, callosal agenesis is often an incidental neurological finding (Paul et al, 2014)
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