Resumo

SUAREZ-OBANDO, Fernando; ORDONEZ-VASQUEZ, Adriana  e  ZARANTE, Ignacio. Neural tube defects and folic acid: pathogenesis, metabolism and embryological development: A literature review. Rev Colomb Obstet Ginecol [online]. 2010, vol.61, n.1, pp.49-60. ISSN 0034-7434.

Introduction: using preconceptional folic acid for preventing neural tube defects (NTD) is a recommendation having a great impact on public health. This review was aimed at describing an NTD embryological development model and the mechanisms by which folic acid reduces such malformation’s prevalence. Methodology: a systematic search was made of medical literature related to folic acid deficiency and NTD pathogenesis. A search was done in MEDLINE, using PubMed, OVID, LILACS and SciELO. The selected papers led to modelling the disease’s physiopathology from embryology to clinical presentation, highlighting folic acid’s role in cell proliferation and neurulation. Results: the physiopathological model of NTD is presented as well as the relationship between decreased folic acid concentration and neurulation failure. Conclusions: this model should serve as a means of understanding the disease’s development, highlighting folic acid consumption’s impact on foetal and maternal health.

Palavras-chave : neural tube defects; folic acid; gene expression regulation; nervous system malformation.

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