Vitamin E Concentrations in the Brains and Some Selected Peripheral Tissues of Selenium‐Deficient and Vitamin E‐Deficient Mice

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Abstract
Weanling male CD-1 mice were fed control, vitamin E-deficient or selenium-deficient diets for periods of 12-20 wk. .alpha.-Tocopherol concentrations in plasma, liver and testes, as well as in 3 specific areas in the brain (cerebral hemisphere, cerebellum and medulla plus pons) were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. Significant concentrations of .alpha.-tocopherol were found in all brain samples from vitamin E-deficient animals long after the peripheral tissues were depleted, indicating that brain is more resistant to vitamin E deficiency than peripheral tissues. Cerebellar concentrations of .alpha.-tocopherol were consistently lower than those of cerebral hemisphere and medulla-pons. The cerebellar .alpha.-tocopherol concentration sustained a larger decline than the other 2 brain areas within 6 wk of vitamin E deficiency treatment. Cerebellum may be more susceptible to damage from vitamin E deficiency that other parts of the brain. Selenium deficiency did not affect brain .alpha.-tocopherol concentrations during the 12 wk of the study.