英国的Lejeune教授最近报告,他所从事的一项研究结果表明,增加维生素的摄入量,尤其是给予大剂量的叶酸,将可成功地治疗像先天愚型一类具有种种智力缺陷的患儿。他指出,先天愚型患儿细胞内有着一个有缺陷的X染色体。据估计,大约每出生1,000名儿童中就有1名患有这种疾病,而且男孩的病情要比女孩的重些。Lejeune在研究中发现,在体内叶酸不足的情况下,有缺陷的X染色体末端的模糊部分就形成一个可见的裂隙。鉴于叶酸是制造神经鞘所需的单个碳原子的重要来源,并且也是传导神经冲动的化学物质,如 Professor Lejeune of the United Kingdom recently reported that a study he conducted showed that increasing vitamin intake, especially for large doses of folic acid, will be successful in treating children with mental retardation such as Down’s syndrome. He pointed out that there is a flawed X chromosome in cells of the child suffering from idol disease. It is estimated that about one out of every 1,000 children born has the disease and the boy is in a worse condition than the girl. Lejeune found in the study that in the absence of folic acid in the body, the faint portion of the flawed X chromosome ends form a visible fissure. Given that folic acid is an important source of single carbon atoms needed to make a nerve sheath and is also a chemical that conducts nerve impulses like