Lumbar and cortical somatosensory evoked potentials in rats with vitamin E deficiency.

Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) from lumbar and cortical areas and electromyographic activity (EMG) were recorded in 40-42 week vitamin E deficient rats and in age matched controls. A significant increase in the latency (p less than 0.001) of the cortical SEP and a significant reduction in the lumbar to cortical conduction velocity (p less than 0.001) were observed in vitamin E deficient rats compared with controls. No significant differences were obtained in the latency of the lumbar SEP or in the peripheral conduction velocity from the ankle to lumbar region. All the vitamin E deficient rats had abnormal EMG findings (fibrillation potentials, positive sharp waves and polyphasic activity), whereas none of the controls showed any of these signs of dysfunction.