Microcephaly+(Sick+Genes+Activity)


 * Microcephaly **

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 * __Symptoms__**

Some symptoms that may point you in the direction of having microsephaly are slight to much mental retardation, bad motor skills and speech problems, deformed faces, being very short (dwarfism), resembling ADHD in their hyperactivity levels, occasional seizures, bad coordination and problems with balancing, and any other abnormalities of the brain.


 * __Genetic Mutation__**

This is an autosomal mutation that can be either recessive or dominant. The chromosome directly affected is the very first chromosome out of the 46. The microcephaly gene is CENPJ, and affects another six types of genes in the process. A specific enzyme fails to do its job at conception and this results in a smaller head than most babies. This is a type of cephalic disorder. There are many types and stages of microcephaly, primary being the most common.




 * __Type of Genetic Relationship/Inheritance__**

This is an autosomal mutation and it can be either dominant or recessive. When dominant, if both parents are carriers, then there is a 50% chance of the offspring inheriting the trait as well. When recessive, each parent must only express one single recessive gene each and then, when combined to make offspring, there will be a 25% chance that their babies have it as well.


 * __Causes__**

Some causes of microsephaly may be a disorder in the chromosomes or in a single gene (genetic). If an infection happens in the fetus during conception, they may also get it. If a stroke happens in a baby and it affects the brain, this may also cause them to get it. If the baby is lagging in getting oxygen to the brain quickly and efficiently, then there is a likely chance of getting microcephaly. A meternal illness or a severe illness may also strike this up. NCBI is the primary protein involved in this.


 * __Epidemiology__**

This is an autosomal mutation, meaning that it is completely unbiased as to which gender gets affected more than the other. However, people in regions such as South Pakistan have the tendancy to get this mutation more often than others, althought his may have to do with the fact that they do not have much medical attention. The age may actually have to do something with this, though. For example, most victims of this develop the mutation while still in the mother's womb. This shows how babies are more vulnerable to brain damage whereas more developed brains and bodies have more of a defense system against it.


 * __Diagnosis__**

This could be diagnosed since the prenatal period (when still in the mother's womb) through an ultrasound. This can only be detected, however, either after birth or from the third pregnancy trimester and on. Physical examination is usually carried out and is very essential. By doing so, the abnormailities of the child's physical structure (especialyl of the head) can be thoroughly examined. They can track the development and growth rates and compare it to normal cases. These patients usually have seizures, very low appetites, some (few to many) mental handicaps, bad motor skills, and a very high-pitched cry as well as others.  __** Prognosis **__

People with microcephaly have a generally low life expectancy and their brains do not function as well or as quickly as others. However, all of this varies on the individual and their own capacities, limitations, and own special conditions. Some complications that may occur are a small head, some slight mental handicap, a smaller life expectancy than usual, and more.

__**Treatment**__

Overall, unfortunately, there really is not treatment or cure for microcephaly. However, families can receive counseling to cope with it and learn to accept it as is. They just try to help them with speech and provide them with ways to learn better, but overall, there is no real cure to return the head shape back to normal.

__**Recent Research**__

A group of reseachers, being Norwegian and American, have found that there are indeed some genes that have to do with microcephaly. They found a connection in neuroscience that links a disorder which reduces brain size to explain the difference between a microcephaly brain and a healthy brain as to those with disorders or physcological problems.


 * __Creative Teachings__**

Human heads are like potatoes. They come in all shapes and sizes. However, there is a regular potato and then all the others. Some potatoes, when being harvested, tend to not develop properly and end up really small and tiny compared to the other potatoes. This potato may not be as ripe as the others or may have another problem. Human heads are the same, but the small potatoes (heads) are the people with microcephaly. These victims have stopped brain and head development a bit too early than everyone else, making their heads smaller than usual.