J Embryol Exp Morphol 1985 Nov 01;89 Suppl:229-55.

A review of the theories of vertebrate neurulation and their relationship to the mechanics of neural tube birth defects.

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All of the published theories of neurulation, (some of them forgotten but never disproved), are reviewed for the purpose of assessing just where we are in coming to a satisfactory explanation of this critical step in the formation of the brain and spinal cord, whose occasional failure leads to neural tube birth defects. A new approach to evaluating these theories is introduced, namely finite element analysis, along with a discussion of its promise and present limitations.

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