schizo-, schiz-

1. Splitting, or lamination, of the nail plate; usually in the horizontal plane at the free edge.
2. Splitting of the nails in layers.

A developmental disorder of the brain characterized by abnormal slits, or clefts, in the cerebral hemispheres. Schizencephaly is a form of porencephaly.

Individuals with clefts in both hemispheres, or bilateral clefts, are often developmentally delayed and have delayed speech and language skills and corticospinal dysfunction. Individuals with smaller, unilateral clefts (clefts in one hemisphere) may be weak on one side of the body and may have average or near-average intelligence.

Patients with schizencephaly may also have varying degrees of microcephaly, mental retardation, hemiparesis (weakness or paralysis affecting one side of the body), or quadriparesis (weakness or paralysis affecting all four extremities), and may have reduced muscle tone (hypotonia). Most patients have seizures and some may have hydrocephalus.

1. A dry fruit that splits at maturity into two or more closed, one-seeded parts, as in the carrot or mallow.
2. A dry, dehiscent fruit that at maturity splits into two or more one-seeded carpels.