Introduction Spinal dysraphism is a term which was revived by Lichtenstein (1940) under which he grouped disorders arising from cutaneous, mesodermal or neural derivatives of the dorsal median region of the developing embryo. Within this broad classification must be included the sub-groups of spina bifida aperta with myeloschisis, myelomeningocele or meningocele and spina bifida occulta with or...

Failure of neural tube closure in the early embryo causes neural tube defects including spina bifida. Spina bifida lesions predominate in the distal spine, particularly after exposure to the anticonvulsant valproic acid (VPA). How VPA specifically disturbs late stages of neural tube closure is unclear, as neurulation is usually viewed as a uniform 'zippering' process along the spine. We recentl...

OBJECTIVE To examine dyadic and systemic family functioning across several domains (conflict, cohesion, and stress) in families of preadolescents with spina bifida in comparison to families of able-bodied preadolescents (8- and 9-year olds; n = 68 in each sample). METHODS Mother-, father-, and child-reported questionnaire data and observational ratings of family behavior were employed. RESU...

Spina bifida is a multifaceted neurological condition with complex neuropsychological sequelae. The cognitive outcome in spina bifida has frequently been attributed to the severity of the hydrocephalus. However, because of complex neuropathology, the influence of hydrocephalus alone does not sufficiently explain the deficits in the cognitive profile in spina bifida. To date, little is known of ...

BACKGROUND Open neural tube defects are among the most common malformations of the fetus. Secondary prevention by early diagnosis during pregnancy and abortion of affected fetuses result in a marked reduction of NTD incidence at birth. The dramatic effect of folic acid for primary prevention of these defects led to recommendations for folic acid supplementation in women of reproductive age. O...

BACKGROUND Neural tube defects (NTDs) are among the most common of all human congenital defects. Over the last two decades, accumulating evidence has made it clear that periconceptional intake of folic acid can significantly reduce the risk of NTD affected pregnancies. This beneficial effect may be related to the ability of folates to donate methyl groups for critical physiological reactions. C...

Smad6 and Smad7 comprise a subclass of vertebrate Smads that antagonize, rather than transduce, TGF-beta family signaling. These Anti-Smads can block BMP signaling, as evidenced by their ability to induce a secondary dorsal axis when misexpressed ventrally in Xenopus embryos. Smad7 inhibits additional TGF-beta related pathways, and causes spina bifida when misexpressed dorsally. We have perform...

This study investigates cognitive abilities of pre/primary school children without and with spina bifida in Uganda. Qualitative semi structured interviews and quantitative functioning scales measurements were combined and conducted with 133 parents, 133 children with spina bifida, and 35 siblings. ANCOVA was used to test for differences in cognitive scores between children and siblings. Logisti...

geographic tongue is a benign disorder involving the dorsal surface of the tongue characterized by depapillated areas with leading and folded edges in yellowish or grayish white color and sometimes with unclear borders. many studies have reported a relationship between such condition and different risk factors. this study aimed to investigate the prevalence rate and the risk factors of geograph...

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are birth defects that can be disabling or lethal and are second in their prevalence after cardiac defects among major human congenital malformations. Spina bifida is a NTD where the spinal cord is dysplastic, and the overlying spinal column is absent. At present, the molecular mechanisms underlying the spinal bifida development are largely unknown. In this study, we ...