title: Nigral dopaminergic cell loss in vitamin E deficient rats.
abstract: alpha-Tocopherol concentrations in brain were reduced to 3% of control levels in rats fed a vitamin E deficient diet for 52 weeks. Vitamin E deficiency resulted in a 19-33% loss of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunopositive neurones in the substantia nigra, but not in the adjacent ventral tegmental area, compared with controls. Vitamin E deficiency, however, did not reduce striatal dopamine concentrations or turnover. When antioxidant defence mechanisms are defective, as in chronic vitamin E deficiency, the nigrostriatal pathway may be affected by oxidative damage and this may have implications for Parkinson's disease.
authors: Neurodegenerative Disease Research Centre, Biomedical Sciences Division, King's College, London, UK.
authors: D T
authors: DT
authors: Dexter
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Nanayakkara
authors: M A
authors: MA
authors: Goss-Sampson
authors: D P
authors: DP
authors: Muller
authors: A E
authors: AE
authors: Harding
authors: C D
authors: CD
authors: Marsden
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Jenner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines / Q000378:metabolism; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D013681:Tegmentum Mesencephali / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000378:metabolism; D014811:Vitamin E Deficiency / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D015306:Biogenic Monoamines; D014810:Vitamin E; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D004298:Dopamine