Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders | Dandy-Walker Syndrome

Definition

Dandy-Walker syndrome refers to a group of specific, congenital (present at birth) brain malformations, and is a common cause of hydrocephalus (increased fluid in the brain).

Description

Dandy-Walker syndrome is more often referred to as Dandy-Walker malformation (DWM) or Dandy-Walker complex. The condition is named for doctors Walter E. Dandy and Arthur E. Walker, who described the signs and symptoms of the condition in the early 1900s.

The brain contains four ventricles, which are inner, hollow portions filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The first and second (lateral) ventricles are inside the cerebral hemispheres, and the third and fourth ventricles are below them, closer to the brainstem. DWM consists of a specific group of brain malformations, including enlargement of the fourth ventricle, complete or...