Cerebral Palsy
"Cerebral" refers to the brain and "palsy" to muscle weakness/poor control. CP itself is not progressive (i.e., brain damage does not get worse); however, secondary conditions, such as muscle spasticity, can develop which may get better over time, get worse, or remain the same. CP is not a disease. Although CP is not "curable" in the accepted sense, training and therapy can help improve function.
UCP Research and Educational Foundation
The UCP Research and Educational Foundation is the nation's principal non-government agency sponsoring research directly relevant to the prevention of cerebral palsy and improvement in the quality of life of persons with disabilities due to cerebral palsy and related developmental brain disorders. In its history of more than 50 years, the Foundation has been instrumental in eliminating two of the major causes of cerebral palsy, German measles and maternal-child blood type incompatibility.
The Foundation is now focusing its attention on other remaining major causes such as low birth weight, prematurity, and the effects of maternal infection on the developing brain. It is also exploring the development of improved methods for mobility, communication and the general well being of children and adults with developmental disorders of the brain as well as the possibility of replacing lost cells in the brain. The Foundation also serves as the medical and scientific information resource for UCP, its affiliates, the clinical professions and the public.
You can learn more about UCP at www.ucp.org and the UCP Research & Educational Foundation at http://www.ucp.org/ucp_general.cfm/1/4.