What Are The Symptoms Of Periventricular Leukomalacia?

Periventricular leukomalacia is a form of injury to the brain of a baby with a range of adverse effects related to motor skills and the nervous system. Periventricular leukomalacia most commonly occurs in babies with a very low birth weight or those born very prematurely. A baby's brain contains ventricles or chambers filled with cerebrospinal fluid. A substance called white matter sits in between the ventricles in the interior brain tissues that relays information between the individual's spinal cord and nerve cells. The white matter is also responsible for transmitting information from one region of the brain to another. Periventricular leukomalacia happens in babies when the white matter tissues have died or become damaged. The mechanism that precipitates periventricular leukomalacia is attributed to the absence of adequate blood flow during, before, and after birth.