Folates reduce rate of brain damage

Taking certain vitamins during pregnancy could prevent hydrocephalus, an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the cavities of the baby's brain, which causes disability and learning difficulties. While the theory, published in the Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology, is still at an early stage, rats taking folates showed reduced rates of hydrocephalus. A team from the universities of Manchester and Lancaster is hoping to start clinical trials in pregnant women with babies diagnosed with hydrocephalus. The team is also looking for a pharmaceutical company to produce the s...