Vitamin E and the nervous system.

There is increasing evidence that vitamin E is essential for normal neurological function. In abetalipoproteinemia, which is the most severe deficiency state known in man, development of the associated spinocerebellar syndrome can be prevented by early vitamin E therapy. A neurological disorder similar to that seen in abetalipoproteinemia, comprising progressive ataxia, hyporeflexia, and proprioceptive loss, has been described in children and adults with chronic fat malabsorption and vitamin E deficiency. The neuropathological changes in such patients resemble those seen in vitamin E-deficient monkeys. Recent reports suggest that spinocerebellar degeneration may be caused by a selective defect of vitamin E absorption without other evidence of gastrointestinal disease.