Neural tube defects (NTD's) are conditions where an opening in the spinal cord or brain remains from early in human development.
Pathophysiology
In week 3 gestation, during gastrulation (i.e. phase where the single layered blastula is reorganized into a trilaminar structure called the gastrula), specialized cells on the dorsal/back of the fetus begin to change shape, and form the neural tube
The failure of the neural tube to close completely is called an NTD
Classification
Open, which is more common. It occur when the brain or spinal cord are exposed at birth through a defect in the skull or vertebrae (back bones), including:
Medicinenet.com Word of the Day Medicinenet.com Daily News
Medpage Today Latest Medical News
Health.com Happy & Healthy
Medical News Today headlines
Internal Medicine Clinical News
Modern Medicine News Modern Medicine Feature articles
Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine
BMJ Latest news BMJ Latest research BMJ Education
JAMA Current issue
The Lancet Current issue
NEJM Current issue
ScienceMag Current issue
NIH PubMed Health Featured reviews
ABC Health news ABC Health & Wellbeing ABC Health Minutes ABC RN's The Health Report ABC All in The Mind
BBC News - Health (International)
NSW Health Minister for Health Minister for Mental Health NSW Health Publications AI of Health & Welfare Publications Department of Health Publications
WHO Health news WHO Emergencies, disasters news WHO Disease Outbreaks WHO Health feature stories