Causes: Tethered Spinal Cord Syndrome:
Abnormal stretching of the spinal cord.
Tethered spinal cord syndrome appears to be the result of improper
development of the neural tube, and is closely linked with spina bifida.
(Source: excerpt from NINDS Tethered Spinal Cord Syndrome Information Page: NINDS)
As with all medical conditions, there may be many causal factors. Further relevant information on causes of Tethered Spinal Cord Syndrome may be found in:
16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the causes of Tethered Spinal Cord Syndrome.
Normally, about 20 days after conception, the embryo develops a neural groove in the dorsal ectoderm. This groove rapidly deepens, and the two edges fuse to form the neural tube.
By about day 23, this tube is completely closed except for an opening at each end. Theoretically, if the posterior portion of this neural tube fails to close by the 4th week of gestation, or if it closes but then splits open from a cause such as an abnormal increase in CSF later in the first trimester, a spinal defect results.
Viruses, radiation, and other environmental factors may be responsible for such defects. However, spinal cord defects occur more often in offspring of women who have previously had children with similar defects, so genetic factors may also be responsible.
Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
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