Brainstem auditory evoked potential interwave intervals are prolonged in vitamin B-6-deficient cats.
Vitamin B-6 deficiency has been reported to produce behavioral, neurophysiological and neuropathological abnormalities in a variety of species. In this investigation we used brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) to determine if vitamin B-6 deficiency in cats affected peripheral and brainstem auditory pathways. Brainstem auditory evoked potentials were recorded from growing cats as they developed vitamin B-6 deficiency, which was confirmed using clinical, hematological and urinary criteria. The BAEP interwave intervals measured from early (wave 1 or 1N) to late waves (5N) or from middle (wave 3) to late waves increased significantly, whereas interwave intervals from early to middle waves did not differ significantly. These results indicate that vitamin B-6 deficiency affects one or more structures of the brainstem that generate the later parts of the BAEP. The finding of prolonged interwave intervals in vitamin B-6-deficient animals is consistent with slowed axonal conduction velocity secondary to defective myelination. Recording BAEP provided a noninvasive means of detecting effects of vitamin B-6 deficiency on specific parts of the central nervous system.
Buckmaster
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PS
Department of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis 95616.
Holliday
T A
TA
Bai
S C
SC
Rogers
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QR
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002415:Cats; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004566:Electrodes; D004594:Electrophysiology; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000187:drug effects; D010070:Oxalates / Q000652:urine; D011736:Pyridoxine / Q000494:pharmacology; D026681:Vitamin B 6 Deficiency / Q000503:physiopathology*
D006454:Hemoglobins; D010070:Oxalates; D011736:Pyridoxine