Vitamin combination may prevent hydrocephalus

Tests on rats showed a combination of folates dramatically reduced the rates of hydrocephalus - in which fluids build up in the brain's chambers. They even seemed to work after the condition had started to develop.

But the work, published in the Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology, is still at an early stage.

The team from the universities of Manchester and Lancaster hope to get permission to start clinical trials in pregnant women with babies diagnosed with hydrocephalus.
The supplement itself is not currently available, so they are also seeking the support of a pharmaceutical company willing to produce it as a pill.

At present hydrocephalus affects one in 1000 live births. There is no satisfactory treatment for it other than surgical diversion of the fluid through a tube, known as a shunt, from the brain to the abdomen or heart.

However, shunts are permanent and prone to infection and blockage, which means patients may require several operations during their lifetime.
Most of those with by the condition have impaired mental and physical ability, although the effects can vary widely.