The Pathology of Vitamin E Deficiency in the Chick

Abstract

Syndromes of encephalomalacia, exudative diathesis and muscular dystrophy were produced in day-old chicks placed on a torula yeast base diet deficient in vitamin E. Changes in the percentage of dietary lipid were responsible for variation in the disease processes. Chicks receiving 3-9% lipid had vascular alterations which determined, in most cases, the severity of the resulting tissue changes. Encephalomalacia occurred only in chicks on 9% dietary lipid. Muscular lesions were seen in all chicks and were thought to be due to damage to the mitochondria. Acid phosphatase activity was not directly associated with degeneration of muscle.