Spastic cerebral palsy

Spastic cerebral palsy
A child with spastic cerebral palsy
Specialty	Neurology

Spastic cerebral palsy is the type of cerebral palsy characterized by spasticity or high muscle tone often resulting in stiff, jerky movements.^[1] Cases of spastic CP are further classified according to the part or parts of the body that are most affected.^[2] Such classifications include spastic diplegia, spastic hemiplegia, spastic quadriplegia, and in cases of single limb involvement, spastic monoplegia.^[3]

Spastic cerebral palsy affects the motor cortex^[1] of the brain, a specific portion of the cerebral cortex responsible for the planning and completion of voluntary movement.^[4] Spastic CP is the most common type of overall cerebral palsy, representing roughly 80% of cases.^[2] Spastic CP is a permanent condition and will affect an individual across the lifespan.^[5] The brain injury that causes spastic CP remains stable over time, but the way spasticity affects a person can change.^[1] For example, with age they may develop bone deformities from the pull of spastic muscles, muscular deterioration, and loss of range of motion in a joint.^[1] Thus, individuals with spastic CP often have different support needs with time.^[6]