A 2 and a half-year-old male California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) presented with a history of intermittent generalized seizures. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a large focal mass occupying the right cerebral hemisphere with moderate dilatation of the contralateral lateral ventricle. At necropsy, the right cerebral hemispheric white matter was expanded by numerous irregularly shaped, pale pink nodules up to 10 mm in diameter. The overlying cortex was characterized by increased numbers of small, poorly developed gyri with shallow, often indistinct, sulci (polymicrogyria). Microscopically, nodules were composed of neurons, oligodendroglia, microglia, and supporting neuropil and were well delineated from the surrounding white matter. The gross, histological, and immunohistochemical features of this lesion are consistent with a neuronal migration defect resulting in unilateral subcortical heterotopia.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.