Memphis – The absence of Alix protein leads to the development of hydrocephalus, malformation of the central nervous system, which has an incidence of 1 in 1,500 live births. This was revealed by a study of a team that involved the Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology of the National Research Council of Palermo (IBIM-CNR) and coordinated by Alessandra d’Azzo of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis (USA). The results are published on the Nature Communications journal. “Hydrocephalus occurs as a buildup of cerebrospinal (CSF fluid) inside the cavities of the cerebral ventricles, causing an increase in pressure inside the skull with very serious consequences for the quality of life” says Antonella Bongiovanni, IBIM-CNR researcher and one of the authors of the work. (9Colonne)