Neuroscience and Neurobiology Commons^™

Excess Folic Acid As A Potential Competitor Of Glutamate May Interfere With Neural Development, Benjamin Fick

Honors Program Theses

Folic acid, Vitamin B9, is strongly advised as a supplement taken by pregnant woman to maintain the health of the embryo, and deficiency increases the risk of neural tube defects. However, a safe upper limit of folate to consume has not been established, and an excess of dietary folate may interfere with neurodevelopmental metabolism, increasing the risk of adverse outcomes, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It has been suggested that folate affects connectivity among neurons as the brain develops. Glutamate is important in the regulation of neural tissue development, as it is a common excitatory neurotransmitter that binds to synaptic …