Thiamine Deficiency Limits Glucose Utilization and Glial Proliferation in Brain Lesions of Symptomatic Rats

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Abstract
The effects of thiamine (B1) deficiency on local CMRglu (LMCRglu) in the vestibular nuclei were studied with the 14C-2-deoxyglucose autoradiographic method in awake asymptomatic and symptomatic rats. Animals on the B1-deficient diet for 98 days developed symptoms of ataxia and opisthotonos. The results show that B1 deficiency produces: (1) bilateral vestibular nuclei lesions in symptomatic animals; (2) very low LCMRglu rates in these lesions; and (3) limitation of glial proliferation in the lesions. Giving B1 to B1-deficient symptomatic animals produced a cellular proliferative response consisting mostly of microglia in the lesioned areas of the vestibular nuclei and a high LCMRglu rate in the regions of microglial proliferation.