  We discuss the effect induced on the neutralino-nucleon cross-section by the
present uncertainties in the values of the quark masses and of the quark scalar
densities in the nucleon. We examine the implications of this aspect on the
determination of the neutralino cosmological properties, as derived from
measurements of WIMP direct detection. We show that, within current theoretical
uncertainties, the DAMA annual modulation data are compatible with a neutralino
as a major dark matter component, to an extent which is even larger than the
one previously derived. We also comment on implications of the mentioned
uncertainties for experiments of indirect dark matter detection.
