Email this article The role of folate and one-carbon metabolism in brain development and hydrocephalus: a literature review
Abstract
Folate metabolism has been known to influence the development of the nervous system, as found in the case of neural tube defects. Folates are a group of compounds involved in one-carbon metabolism, which is necessary for the formation of purine and thymidine nucleotides, as well as methionine and methyl donors. In addition to the well-documented role of folates within the pathogenesis of neural tube defects, current literature provides evidence that folate imbalances may play a significant role in the development and effects of hydrocephalus. This review considers the possibility that folate imbalances in hydrocephalic cerebrospinal fluid may be responsible for the neurological deficit seen in patients with this condition. Understanding the details of this potential imbalance may provide further insight into novel treatment options for hydrocephalus in the future.
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7227/MMJ.0018
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