Summary
Light- and electron-microscopic studies were carried out on the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS) of vitamin E-deficient rats. Extensive axonal degeneration and dystrophic changes were observed in posterior columns and their medullary relay nuclei, respectively. The changes were more prominent in gracile tracts and nuclei than cuneate tracts and nuclei. Alteration in the PNS were less severe than those in the CNS. The posterior roots and sciatic nerves showed only a mild degree of axonal degeneration, while more distal segments of axons in s.c. nerves, in cutaneous sensory corpuscles, and in muscle spindles of hind paws were more severely affected. The neurons in the dorsal root ganglia showed only accumulation of lipofuscin. The above findings in chronic vitamin E deficiency indicate that (a) in addition to the degeneration of central extensions of sensory neurons, their peripheral axons are also affected, (b) the distribution of lesions is similar to those seen in distal axonopathies or a “dying back” process.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Blakemore WF, Cavanagh JB (1969) “Neuroaxonal dystrophy” occurring in an experimental “dying back” process in the rat. Brain 92:789–804
Brannon W, McCormick W, Lampert P (1967) Axonal dystrophy in gracile nucleus of man. Acta Neuropathol (Berl) 9:1–6
Carpenter S (1965) A histochemical study of oxidative enzymes in the nervous system of vitamin E-deficient rat. Neurology (Minneap) 15:328–332
Cavanagh JB (1979) The “dying back” process. Arch Pathol Lab Med 103:659–664
Draper HH, Bergan JG, Chiu M, Csallany AS, Boaro AV (1964) A further study of the specificity of the vitamin E requirement for reproduction. J Nutrit 84:395–400
Einarson L (1952) Criticizing review of the concepts of the neuromuscular lesions in experimental vitamin E deficiency, preferably in adult rats. Acta Psychiat Neurol Scand [Suppl] 78:9–76
Fujisawa K (1967) A unique type of axonal alteration (so-called axonal dystrophy) as seen in Goll's nucleus of 277 cases of controls. A contribution to the pathology of aging process. Acta Neuropathol (Berl) 8:255–275
Fujisawa K, Shiraki H (1978) Study of axonal dystrophy: I. Pathology of the neuropil of the gracile and the cuneate nuclei in aging and old rats: A stereological study. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 4:1–20
Gutteridge JMC (1978) The membrane effects of vitamin E, cholesterol, and other acetates on peroxidative susceptibility. Res Commun Chem Pathol Pharmacol 22:563–572
Jellinger K (1973) Neuroaxonal dystrophy — its natural history and related disorders. In: Zimmerman HM (ed) Progress in neuropathology, vol 2. Grune and Stratton, New York, pp 129–180
Lampert PW (1967) A comparative electron-microscopic study of reactive, degenerating, regenerating and dystrophic axons. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 26:345–368
Lampert P, Blumberg JM, Pentschew A (1964) An electron-microscopic study of dystrophic axons in the gracile and cuneate nuclei of vitamin E-deficient rats. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 23:60–77
Lucy JA (1978) Structural interactions between vitamin E and polyunsaturated phospholipids. In: de Duve C, Havaishi O (eds) Tocopherol, oygen, and biomembranes. Elsevier/North Holland, Biomedical Press, Amsterdam New York, pp 109–120
Machlin LJ, Filipski R, Nelson J, Horn LR, Brin M (1977) Effect of a prolonged vitamin E deficiency in the rat. J Nutrit 107:1200–1208
Malamud N, Nelson MM, Evans HM (1949) The effect of chronic vitamin E deficiency on the nervous system in the rat. Ann NY Acad Sci 52:135–138
Nandy K (1971) Properties of neuronal lipofuscin pigment in mice. Acta Neuropathol (Berl) 19:25–32
Nelson J, Fitch C, Fischer V, Rosenblum J, Keating J, Prensky A, Celesia G, Broun G, Chou A, Machlin L, Woolsey R (1978) Progressive neuropathologic lesions with vitamin E deficiency in mammals including man. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 37:666 [abstr]
Pentschew A, Schwarz K (1962) Systemic axonal dystrophy in vitamin E deficient adult rats. Acta Neuropathol (Berl) 1:313–334
Seitelberger F (1971) Neuropathological conditions related to neuroaxonal dystrophy. Acta Neuropathol (Berl) [Suppl] 5:17–29
Sharma AK, Bajada S, Thomas PK (1980) Age changes in the tibial and plantar nerves of the rat. J Anat 30:417–428
Spencer SP, Schaumberg HH (1976) Central-peripheral distal axonopathy. The pathology of dying back polyneuropathies. In: Zimmerman HM (ed) Progress in neuropathology, vol 3. Grune and Stratton, New York, pp 253–295
Sung JH (1964) Neuroaxonal dystrophy in mucoviscidosis. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 23:567–583
Sung JH, Mastri AR, Park SH (1981) Axonal dystrophy in the gracile nucleus in children and young adults. Reappraisal of the incidence and associated disease. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 40:37–45
Sung JH, Park SH, Mastri AR, Warwick WJ (1980) Axonal dystrophy in the gracile nucleus in congenital biliary atresia and cystic fibrosis (mucoviscidosis): beneficial effect of vitamin E therapy. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 39:584–597
Sung JH, Stadlan EM (1966) Neuroaxonal dystrophy in congenital biliary atresia. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 25:341–361
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Towfighi, J. Effects of chronic vitamin E deficiency on the nervous system of the rat. Acta Neuropathol 54, 261–267 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00696998
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00696998