A team of McGill University researchers have identified a gene that causes the developmental disorder spina bifida, the second-most prevalent birth defect after cardiac abnormalities. Long thought to have a genetic component but never specifically identified in humans, the discovery is expected to aid in the diagnosis of the disease, which in its most serious form can lead to crippling disabilities. It could also be used to identify parents who have a higher chance of having a child with spina bifida. >>> Discuss This Story
