Vitamin E is one of the most important lipid-soluble antioxidant nutrient.
Severe vitamin E deficiency (VED) can have a profound effect on the central
nervous system. VED causes ataxia and peripheral neuropathy that resembles
Friedreich's ataxia. We report here a patient presenting this syndrome, bu
t also a prolactin and FSH adenoma. Both the neurological syndromes and the
adenoma regressed after treatment with alpha-tocopherol. Although, the pre
sence of the prolactinoma in this patient may not be related to his vitamin
E deficiency, alpha-tocopherol treatment seems to be beneficial and might
usefully be tested in patients with hypophyseal secreting other forms of ad
enoma. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.