V. Steffen et al., THE EFFECT OF A VITAMIN-E-DEFICIENT DIET ON AMINO-ACID LEVELS IN THE SUBSTANTIA-NIGRA, STRIATUM AND HIPPOCAMPUS OF RATS, Life sciences, 54(5), 1994, pp. 375-379
Citations number
27
Categorie Soggetti
Biology,"Medicine, Research & Experimental","Pharmacology & Pharmacy
The effects of a vitamin E deficiency diet for 15 days on amino acid c
oncentrations have been studied in the substantia nigra, striatum and
hippocampus of the rat. The substantia nigra showed an increase in glu
tamate and GABA and a decrease of tryptophan concentration compared wi
th controls. In the striatum, aspartate and glycine decreased, no chan
ges were found in the amino acid concentrations in the hippocampus. Th
e substantia nigra and striatum showed opposite results - an increase
and decrease of amino acids respectively. The increase of glutamate fo
und in substantia nigra is particularly interesting as it may suggest
possible links to degenerative processes. These results suggest that v
itamin E could play a crucial role in substantia nigra degeneration an
d that the substantia nigra could be more sensitive to an oxidative st
ress than other brain structures.