Agenisis of the corpus collossum

The corpus collossum is a bundle of nerve fibers that connect both sides of the brain. Obviously this is important if you want to use more than just one side of your brain.  Now imagine this very important connection is severed, what then? Well fortunately although the biggest and most used it is not the only connection of its kind. These smaller commissures allow the brain to rewire itself so that information can continue to flow as best as possible and one can continue to live a seemingly normal life with a few drawbacks.

                However, what if this connection never developed, is it better or worse in the sense of the brain being able to adapt? When the corpus collossum is absent it is known as agenesis. This condition is rare and is usually diagnosed by the age of two. Symptoms of ACC include seizures, feeding problems, problems holding the head erect, sitting, standing, and walking. Although ACC has many impairments it is non-fatal. Since an infant is born without the corpus collossum and the brain is still under relative development throughout their life, their brain can adapt around this disorder. For example, the other smaller commissures will grow larger than normal in order to compensate for the lack of the main connection. In fact studies have shown that people born with ACC lead normal lives and have an average intelligence if any there are some subtle differences in cortical function. Also revealed in recent studies is the correlation between corpus collassum malformation and autism spectrum disorders.