Neural Tube Defects

Neural Tube Defects (NTDs) are congenital malformations of the central nervous system caused by partial or complete failure of the neural tube to close, within 28 days of conception. They represent the second most frequent cause of congenital abnormality. In this book, the authors discuss the prevalence, pathogenesis and prevention of neural tube defects. Topics include preconception folic acid as a primary prevention tool for NTD and its risk assessment; understanding and preventing folic acid-resistant neural tube defects; knowledge of the cellular mechanisms responsible for normal neural tube formation in comprehending and preventing NTDs; developmental delay in interneuron, motor neuron, sensory tract, and synapse formation in chick spina bifida; and an examination of whether neural tube defects lead to structural alterations in the urinary and genital organs in human fetuses.