Abstract
Among autopsy cases diagnosis as cerebral palsy clinically, there were 18 cases of congenital anoma lies, 21 of post-icteric encephalopathy and 20 of sequela of pen-natal brain damages. The former two included cases superimposed with perinatal brain damages.
The first series contain various types of anomalaies. Majorities of cases were spastic type and showed agenesis or severe hypoplasia of the pyramidal tract. The 4 cases showd developmental disturbance or early involution of the thymus.
20 cases were defined as sequela of birth injuries according to presence of histories indicating sign of difficulties of delivery. There were four major sites of cerebral lesions as follows., 1. Cerebral cortex (2cases). 2. Subcortical structure including basal ganglia and thalamus (14cases). 3. Extensive cereb ral involvement (4cases). Clinically 18 cases were spastic, one athetosis and one hypotonic. The pyra midal tracts were either degenerated or poorly developed except for a case of status marmoratus in the putamen.
Characteristic feature of all 21 cases of post-icteric encephalopathy was a set of lesion in the sub thalamic nucleus and globus pallidus. Changes of the other site showing yellow discolouration in acute stages of the Kernicterus were inconstant and may be obscure unless Holzer stain was employed. In general the pyramidal tracts were hypoplastic. This was especially true in cases of premature birth or low birth weight child and with history of birth injury.
13 cases of post-natal brain damage were examined pathologically. Some showed sequelae of en cephalitis and meningitis. Majorities, however, showed lesions of circulatory base probably related to convulsion. 3 cases of cerebral hemiatrophy were included.
