MEMPHIS, Aug. 12 (UPI) -- U.S. medical researchers have identified a molecular mechanism underlying the most common forebrain malformation called holoprosencephaly, or HPE.
The St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists said their findings not only yield insights into the developmental malformation of the anterior brain and face in newborns, but also help in understanding the intricate process by which the brain forms in the developing fetus.
"These findings are important, because, while genes that cause HPE have been identified, the interactions among those that produce HPE are not only complex, but poorly understood," said St. Jude geneticist Guillermo Oliver, who led the study. "This represents a first step in understanding the mechanism of that interaction."
HPE occurs in about one in every 250 fetuses, frequently causing miscarriage or stillbirth. HPE is present in varying degrees in one in every 16,000 newborns, researchers said. The disorder is characterized by a failure of the developing brain to separate into right and left hemispheres.
The findings are presented in the journal Developmental Cell.
