Neuropsychiatric Manifestations of Partial Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum: A Case Report and Literature Review

Abstract

Agenesis of the corpus callosum is a rare congenital defect that has been linked to psychiatric disorders, cognitive deficits, learning disabilities, and developmental delays. We present the case of a patient with partial agenesis of the corpus callosum who exhibits depressed mood, transient loss of memory, and history of cognitive, social, and behavioral disturbances that developed during his childhood. Recent and pertinent literature was reviewed and the agenesis of the corpus callosum and its associated neuropsychiatric manifestations are discussed.

Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum in a Patient With Schizophrenia

“…While ACC has been previously described in patients with neuropsychiatric symptoms, the number of reports regarding corpus callosal malformation and psychosis remains limited and the underlying pathophysiologic mechanism is not well understood [3]. There is still no well-defined syndromic classification of corpus callosum pathologies, however, it has been associated with many chromosomal and metabolic disorders, CNS and somatic abnormalities, and intrauterine exposures to teratogens and infections [4][5][6][7][8].…”

“…While the true prevalence of ACC may be difficult to measure [ 1 ], one study which examined a population-based registry of birth defects from 1983 to 2003 estimated the prevalence of ACC to be 1.8 per 10,000 births [ 2 ]. Other studies have reported the incidence of ACC as falling between 0.05% and 0.7% of the general population with a male predominance [ 3 ]. Malformations of the corpus callosum are observed in a variety of conditions that disrupt early cerebral development, including chromosomal and metabolic disorders as well as intrauterine infections and exposure to teratogens [ 4 ].…”

“…In some patients, ACC may be entirely asymptomatic or with only mild intellectual difficulties, including deficits in visual processing, higher-order language functions, and social delays apparent only on detailed psychometric testing. While there is no well-defined syndromic classification of corpus callosum pathology, the current literature suggests an association between neuropsychiatric symptoms and degeneration or ACC [ 3 ]. These include comorbidities such as attention deficit or autism spectrum disorders as well as disruption of emotional processing and predisposition to psychosis, with many patients experiencing delusions specifically [ 2 - 3 ].…”

“…While there is no well-defined syndromic classification of corpus callosum pathology, the current literature suggests an association between neuropsychiatric symptoms and degeneration or ACC [ 3 ]. These include comorbidities such as attention deficit or autism spectrum disorders as well as disruption of emotional processing and predisposition to psychosis, with many patients experiencing delusions specifically [ 2 - 3 ].…”

Exposure to Repetitive Head Impacts Is Associated With Corpus Callosum Microstructure and Plasma Total Tau in Former Professional American Football Players

“…Of note, the corpus callosum (CC) is predominantly affected, likely due to its central location and increased vulnerability to shear strain 6 . Importantly, the CC is involved in brain functions that are often impaired following brain injury, such as cognition, mood, and behavior 7 . A previous study found an association between younger age at first exposure to American football and later‐life microstructural alterations of the anterior CC 5 .…”