In about one out of every 1,000 pregnancies, the neural tube, a key nervous system structure, fails to close properly.

About 300,000 to 400,000 fetuses per year from mothers with diabetes develop neural tube defects -- when the tissue that eventually forms the brain and spinal cord fails to form properly -- which can ...

How does the neural tube close? A new study uses physics-based modeling to reveal the actin "purse-string" mechanism and cellular coordination that prevents spina bifida.

Millions of neurons branch throughout our bodies, keeping them in close communication with our brains. This peripheral ...

The p53 gene stops tumors from forming. Now researchers have found that the tumor-suppressing gene also has a critical role in the formation of the neural tube in female embryos. The neural tube is ...

St. Louis, May 25, 2009 — Women of childbearing age can reduce the risk of having a child born with a neural tube defect such as spina bifida by eating enough folate or folic acid. However, folate ...

Folate is a naturally occurring form of vitamin B found in food, while folic acid is synthetically produced and used in fortified foods and supplements. It is well known that taking folic acid before ...

Neural tube defects happen because the neural tube does not fuse during early embryonic development. Open neural tube defects are those in which the affected region of the neural tube is exposed on ...

The UK Government's current proposal to fortify one type of flour with folic acid is inadequate as it suggests a low dose that would fail to prevent hundreds of cases of severe birth defects each year ...

Analysis of U.S. survey data showed that two-thirds of reproductive age women had one or more modifiable risk factors for birth defects. Common risk factors included obesity, folate concentrations ...

This procedure is for repairing an open neural tube defect in a baby before it is born (fetus), using keyhole surgery. This procedure can only be done as part of a research study. This is because ...