Chiari I malformation.

Abstract

Chiari I malformation (CM1), the most common structural hindbrain disorder in humans, is traditionally characterized by the downward displacement of the cerebellar tonsils through the foramen magnum. However, this definition does not reflect the variability in clinical presentation, natural history and treatment response of this disorder. Some individuals with minimal tonsillar descent have severe neurological symptoms and syringomyelia, whereas others with extensive descent remain asymptomatic. Emerging evidence from neuroimaging, developmental biology and human genetics indicates that CM1 is not a single anatomical entity but a spectrum of disorders resulting from disruptions in coordinated growth and homeostasis across the cerebellum, posterior fossa, craniocervical junction, cerebrospinal fluid and neurovascular systems. CM1 may be best understood as a disorder of disrupted developmental scaling, in which the tightly regulated relationships between cerebellar growth and cranial accommodation are altered within a dynamic neurovascular and cerebrospinal fluid environment. In this context, tonsillar herniation is a geometric consequence rather than the primary disease process. This Primer synthesizes current knowledge on the epidemiology, mechanisms, diagnosis and management of CM1 across the lifespan. We highlight advances in neuroimaging, genomics and phenomics that support a shift from anatomy-based definitions towards an integrated genomic-phenomic classification.