Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2026
11:00
Using Chicken Embryo as a Powerful Tool in Assessment of Developmental Cardiotoxicities
Published on: March 21, 2021
Prenatal Cerium Exposure and Neural Tube Defect Risk: A Case-control Study in Shanxi, China
Jing Wei1, Fuyuan Yin2,3, Zuqun Jin4
1Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030032, China.
Biological Trace Element Research
|June 26, 2026
Summary
This study investigated elemental exposure and neural tube defects (NTDs). Higher cerium (Ce) concentrations in umbilical cord serum were significantly linked to increased NTD risk in northern China.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Toxicology
- Obstetrics
Background:
- Neural tube defects (NTDs) have complex causes, with limited understanding of elemental exposure's role.
- Elementomic-level research on metallic and non-metallic elements and NTD incidence is scarce.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the association between elemental exposure and NTD risk.
- To identify key elements contributing to NTDs using machine learning.
Main Methods:
- Analyzed 45 elements in umbilical cord serum from 40 NTD cases and 119 controls using ICP-MS.
- Employed Boruta, LASSO, and XGBoost for element selection.
- Utilized Bayesian kernel machine regression and logistic regression for risk assessment.
Main Results:
- Identified zinc (Zn), sodium (Na), molybdenum (Mo), cerium (Ce), barium (Ba), and titanium (Ti) as key elements.
- Higher cerium (Ce) concentration (25th to 75th percentile) showed a significant association with increased NTD risk (OR: 1.96, 95% CI: 1.10-3.49).
- No significant interactions were found among the selected elements.
Conclusions:
- Elevated cerium (Ce) exposure is significantly associated with an increased risk of neural tube defects.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms of Ce in NTD development.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:07Teratogenicity
The ability of a drug to produce structural deformations and functional abnormalities in the developing embryo or the fetus is called teratogenicity, and the drug producing this effect is known as a teratogen. Teratogenic effects include stillbirth, miscarriage, intrauterine growth restriction, and neurocognitive delay. A teratogen may affect the embryo at different stages of development, which is important in determining the type and extent of the damage. During blastocyst formation, the early...
01:30Neurulation
Neurulation is the embryological process which forms the precursors of the central nervous system and occurs after gastrulation has established the three primary cell layers of the embryo: ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. In humans, the majority of this system is formed via primary neurulation, in which the central portion of the ectoderm—originally appearing as a flat sheet of cells—folds upwards and inwards, sealing off to form a hollow neural tube. As development proceeds, the anterior...