Cyclopia is a rare condition where the front of the brain does not divide properly during fetal development, resulting in a single eye and poorly functioning nose. Most babies with this disorder do not survive, and those who do may require reconstructive surgery and have other challenging conditions. It can be caused by a toxin found in the Veratrum Californicum plant and occurs frequently in animal populations. Survivors may face quality of life concerns due to the unique configuration of their face.
Cyclopia is a complicated and rare form of holoprosencephaly. This condition affects how the front of the brain divides while the fetus is developing. Some children with the condition have very few problems and significant brain function, but in cyclopia, the eyes have not developed normally, nor has the nose. Instead of two eyes, children born with this may have a single eye almost in the center of their face (like the mythical cyclops) and a nose that doesn’t work well, is almost absent, and may be above the eye instead of below it.
Most babies with this disorder do not survive, and they may have other serious defects that would make survival difficult, including severely malformed hearts. When these children survive, they may require reconstructive surgery if possible. They are also typically present with other challenging conditions including mental retardation, paralysis and epilepsy. Nurturing a child with the condition can also be hard work, and many of these children quickly fall into a state of inability to thrive.
Not always much is known about the causes of this disorder. However it is commonly noted that it can occur four times in 1000 births. This is actually not that uncommon, but many times fetal death could occur long before full term and babies with this condition may go unnoticed. There are images available in many places showing preserved fetuses with full expression of the defects. They are easy to find, but not for the faint of heart.
One potential cause of cyclopia is a toxin found in the Veratrum Californicum plant. This can be mistaken for hellebore, to which it is related. Hellebore is a common herbal treatment for mild discomfort in early pregnancy. It is absolutely essential that women do not use Veratrum Californicum instead because it interferes with the development and division of the front part of the brain.
It’s not just humans who can have problems with cyclopia. It occurs very often in animal populations. There are reports of kittens being born with it on a regular basis. Invariably the kittens tend not to survive and are usually stillborn or die within the first few hours of life. Especially with the kitten, a poorly functioning nose can completely inhibit breathing and lead to choking. Other mammals can also have this condition and very often do not survive more than a few days after birth.
Some people have survived cyclopia, but it’s rare. There are quality of life concerns for the person who beats the odds and is able to live with the condition. The very different configuration of the face unfortunately risks attracting unwanted attention.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
