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The Zika virus targets vital areas of the brain that are crucial for proper brain development. Microcephaly is just a consequence of a malformed and damaged brain in utero. There were babies born without signs of Microcephaly, but could still suffer from a host of health problems as they grow.

Microcephaly is the most known and common effect found in babies whose mothers contracted the Zika virus while pregnant. The neurological condition is characterized by babies born with abnormally smaller heads with telltale skin folds on top due to a collapsed skull.

A report submitted to the journal JAMA Pediatrics also indicated an array of other complications like eye scarring, contracted limbs due to acute muscle tension, and calcification of the brain. This condition is known as the congenital Zika syndrome as reported by Fox News.

The brain is uncharacteristically small because the Zika virus damages the brain in three-fold: Zika hampers normal brain development, causes obstructions in the brain, and destroys parts of the brain just after they form.

Dr. Deborah Levine, professor of Radiology at the Harvard Medical School conducted a study that looks into the ultrasound pictures and brain scans of Brazilian babies born with Zika. The abnormalities, which Levine calls as disruptions, are evidently based on the report by New York Times.

Zika attacks the corpus collosum, which is responsible for keeping the communication between the two hemispheres. The virus also targets the cerebellum, which plays a vital role in movement, balance and speech. Zika did not spare the basal ganglia, which controls thinking and emotions.

The list continues for Zika also invades the cortex, which facilitates learning including memory and even coordination. The Cortex is continuously developing during infancy so a damaged one offers a lot of complications.

Hence, the study concludes that children born with Zika will most likely have problems in learning, hearing, balancing and even in terms of behavior. Researchers will closely study these children as part of the continuing pursuit to understand the virus before it can be defeated.