title: CNS structural anomalies in Iranian children with global developmental delay.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Central Nervous system (CNS) malformations are one of the most important causes of global developmental delay (GDD) in Children. About one percent of infants with GDD have an inherited metabolic disorder and 3-10 percent have a chromosomal disorder. This study aimed to survey the frequency of brain structural anomalies and their subtypes among the variety of etiologic factors in children with GDD in our patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study used the results of neuroimaging studies [unenhanced brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)] of all children who had been referred for evaluation of GDD to outpatient Clinic of Pediatric neurology at Children's Medical Center affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Science between September 2009 and September 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study, unenhanced brain MRI was performed on 405 children, of which 80 cases (20 percent) had brain structural anomalies. In 8.7 percent of the cases, previous history of brain structural disorders existed in other children of the family and 20 percent of mothers had inadequate consumption of folate during pregnancy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on the results of this study, unenhanced cranial MRI seems to be a fundamental part of evaluation in all children with GDD. Adequate folate consumption as prophylaxis as well as genetic counseling can be worthy for high-risk mothers who have previous history of CNS anomaly or miscarriage to avoid repeated CNS anomalies in their next pregnancies.
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor of Pediatric Neurology, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Gholam Reza
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Zamani
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatric Neurology, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shervin-Badv
authors.affiliation: 3.General Physician, Legal Medicine Research Center, Legal Medicine Organization, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Niksirat
authors.affiliation: Neuroradiologist, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Houman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alizadeh
keywords: CNS developmental anomalies; Developmental delay; Etiology; Neuroimaging