Incidence and Family Aggregation of Major Congenital Malformations of Central Nervous System

Abstract

From the Southampton Group of Hospitals Studies on the incidence of the major congenital malformations of the central nervous system have shown great regional variation Family studies all indicate a family aggregation of this group of abnormalities (Hindse-Nielsen, I938; Record and McKeown, I95oa, b; Polman, I95I; Milham, i962), but in none of these studies has a simple genetic pattern appeared, and there are indications that environmental factors such as season of birth and social class are important. This paper reports relevant data on a series of patients from the Southampton area.