Cerebral palsy describes a neurological disorder in which damage to the brain affects the ability to control muscles and coordinate movement. Most cases of cerebral palsy are classified as congenital, meaning present at birth, caused by brain damage sustained during fetal development or delivery.

Cerebral atrophy, or brain atrophy, describes a loss of brain cells and damage to the connections between them, or “shrinkage” of brain tissue. Cerebral atrophy is commonly associated with many diseases that affect the brain, notes the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, or NINDS.