[Ultrastructural changes in the brain after administration of large doses of ascorbic acid].

The ultrastructure of rat cerebrum was investigated at different times (days 2, 5, 10, 14, 21 and months 3 and 6) after intraperitoneal injection of ascorbic acid in a dose of 0.2 and 2 g/kg. Ultrastructural changes in neurons were discovered during 3 weeks after injection of both doses of ascorbic acids: formation of myelin-like bodies in the cytoplasm and nucleus, increase of the number of lysosomes, polysomes, subcellular cisterns in the sites where neurons are adjacent to astrocytes. The changes observed are assessed as evidence for neuronal metabolism activation due to the rise of ascorbic acid concentration in the neocortex. Formation of large vacuoles and myelin-like bodies in the synaptic terminals was noted as well.