preview

Cri-Du-Chat Syndrome Research Paper

Decent Essays

Cri-du-Chat (cat’s cry) Syndrome is a rare chromosomal disorder that is caused by the deletion of genetic material on chromosome 5. Due to this, this syndrome has an alternative name, known as 5p-, or 5p minus syndrome. Although this genetic defect is able to be diagnosed, the cause of the deletion on the chromosome is unknown. Almost all cases of the Cri-du-Chat Syndrome are found to have no relation with family members or previous generations. This syndrome is generally not inherited, as the deletion occurs randomly during meiosis (the formation of the gametes). In about 90% of people who have this condition, the deletion is completely random and is not inherited. The remaining 10% of affected people inherit a chromosome with a deleted section from an unaffected parent. This is because the parents’ balanced …show more content…

This deletion can occur through a variety of genetic arrangements, in the form of unbalanced translocation, ring chromosomes, interstitial deletion, and inversion. The main symptom of individuals with Cri-du-Chat is that at a young age, they have a high pitched cry, that resembles that of a cat. This cry generally becomes less noticeable as the individual ages. Some of the other symptoms of Cri-du-Chat Syndrome are mental retardation, hyperactivity, delayed development, small heads, round faces, low nasal bridges, widely-spaced eyes, low birth weight, and weak muscle tone. Since the size of the deletion of the genetic material varies between each affected person, these individuals can all show slightly different symptoms and levels of intensity with these symptoms. Individuals with this syndrome may come across feeding issues due to difficulties in swallowing food and sucking in liquids. They also sometimes lack sufficient communication and verbal skills, and face delays in the progress of learning to walk. There is no cure for Cri-du-Chat Syndrome as of

Get Access