Which description best characterizes cerebral palsy?

• A. Permanent movement disorders with motor impairments and developmental delays, sometimes seizures
• B. Progressive neurodegenerative disease
• C. Acute traumatic injury to motor pathways
• D. Infectious disease causing motor deficits

Answer: (A)

Cerebral palsy is a nonprogressive brain injury or malformation that occurs during fetal development or early infancy, leading to permanent movement disorders with motor impairments and often developmental delays. Because the underlying brain insult is static, the motor issues persist over time rather than steadily worsening as a neurodegenerative process would. Seizures can occur in a subset of individuals with cerebral palsy, but the condition itself does not continue to damage the brain over time. This distinguishes it from progressive neurodegenerative diseases, from acute traumatic injuries that occur at a specific event, and from infectious diseases that cause motor deficits through ongoing infection. In short, the description that best fits cerebral palsy is a lifelong, nonprogressive pattern of movement impairment with possible developmental delays and seizures.