Groundbreaking new research suggests there is a much stronger genetic component to the origins of cerebral palsy than experts previously expected.

Share on Pinterest The findings of the study could have implications for future forms of treatment and prevention for cerebral palsy.

Newly discovered genetic risk factors were identified by researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) in Canada. Their findings are published in Nature Communications.

Lead author Dr. Maryam Oskoui, a pediatric neurologist at the Montreal Children’s Hospital (MCH), says that the researchers are yet to understand how these genetic factors interplay with other established risk factors.

“For example, two newborns exposed to the same environmental stressors will often have very different outcomes,” she explains. “Our research suggests that our genes impart resilience, or conversely a susceptibility to injury.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cerebral palsy is the most common motor disability in childhood. The disorder can affect movement, muscle tone and posture, often leading to unsteady walking, involuntary movements and floppy or rigid limbs.

A survey in 2008 found that 58.2% of children with cerebral palsy could walk independently. Around 11.3% could walk with a hand-held mobility device, while 30.6% had limited or no walking ability at all. Around 2 out of every 1,000 births are affected by the disorder.

Cerebral palsy has long been considered to be caused by factors such as infections and birth asphyxia that affect the developing brains of babies. As such, genetic testing is not routinely carried out among children with the disorder.

In light of the study’s findings, however, the researchers suggest that genomic analyses should be integrated into standard practice in the assessment of cases of cerebral palsy.