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5th December 2005 Supplement may prevent water on the brain A dietary supplement taken during pregnancy could cut the risk of hydrocephalus, according to new research. The condition which is also known as water on the brain affects one child in every 500 live births in the UK and US and one in every 100 births in the developing world. It was thought this was due to damage caused by fluid accumulation, but work by Manchester and Lancaster Universities suggests the condition could be due to changes to the chemical composition of this fluid. Parents of children suffering from the condition in the US have raised money to pay for the next stage of the investigation and researchers hope their work will eventually lead not only to a reduced risk of hydrocephalus, but also new treatments for those who survive with the condition. There is currently no prenatal diagnosis test or satisfactory treatment for hydrocephalus other than surgical diversion of the fluid through a tube, known as a shunt, from the brain to the abdomen or heart. Lead researcher Dr Jaleel Miyan said, "This procedure is based on the established clinical view that this fluid is nothing more than a mechanical support system within the skull with little, if any, physiological properties and that hydrocephalus is simply a build-up of excess cerebrospinal fluid in the brain. "But our studies have shown that the condition may in fact cause a change in the composition of the fluid, and that it is this chemical change that prevents normal cell division, resulting in arrested brain development." Dr Miyan said tests had shown that it might be possible to correct this problem, using a dietary supplement during pregnancy. At present the researchers are not giving more details of the supplement while further research is carried out. If the research yields further positive results it could mean an end to surgical intervention to treat the condition. Andrew Russell, executive director of the Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus, said a new treatment for the condition would be highly significant, as the number of babies surviving with hydrocephalus was rising. He said at present most survivors showed signs of impaired brain function, such as poor memory or organisational skills. Where to next?
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