This condition, termed cerebral folate deficiency, (CFD) is more severe in DHPRD patients than in patients with other forms of BH4 deficiency. CFD is corrected by treating patients with folinic acid, a form of folate that efficiently passes the hematoencephalic barrier. The use of folic acid, the synthetic form of folate employed in food fortification, should be avoided because folic acid tightly binds to the folate receptor alpha and may inhibit the transport of folate into the central nervous system. == References ==
While the procedure was initially approved for the insertion of three "pillars" into the soft palate, it was found that there was a significant dosage response to more pillars, with appropriate candidates. As a result of this outpatient operation, which typically lasts no more than 30 minutes, the soft palate is more rigid, possibly reducing instances of sleep apnea and snoring. This procedure addresses one of the most common causes of snoring and sleep apnea — vibration or collapse of the soft palate (the soft part of the roof of the mouth). If there are other factors contributing to snoring or sleep apnea, such as conditions of the nasal airway or an enlarged tongue, it will likely need to be combined with other treatments to be more effective. Alternative medicine
Among the natural remedies are exercises to increase the muscle tone of the upper airway, and one medical practitioner noting anecdotally that professional singers seldom snore, but there have been no medical studies to fully link the two. Epidemiology
Statistics on snoring are often contradictory, but at least 30% of adults and perhaps as many as 50% of people in some demographics snore.