Retinal folding in chicks enhanced by vitamin E deficiency and dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Retinal folding appeared in young chicks fed a commercial starter diet. The degree of this folding was increased when diets deficient in vitamin E and enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids (encephalomalatic diets) were fed. The unique response of the retina and the cerebellum to the encephalomalatic diets is pointed out.