Decrease of high affinity ouabain binding in rat cerebellum and hypothalamus by thiamin deficiency.

The effect of dietary thiamin deficiency on high affinity [3H]ouabain binding was examined in different regions of rat brain. The binding activity in the cerebellum and hypothalamus was significantly lower in the thiamin-deficient group than in the pair-fed control and freely fed control groups. The decrease was due to a change in Bmax but not in Kd. The results suggest a possible involvement of (Na+,K+)-ATPase in neurological manifestations of thiamin deficiency.