II. Microchemical and Histologic Study of Myelin Formation in the Rat

Abstract

PREVIOUS biochemical and morphologic studies of the brain indicate that the amount of myelin is severely reduced when rats are malnourished during the first 21 days of postnatal life.^1-6This period of cerebral development was proposed as a vulnerable phase with respect to formation of myelin.^7-10Lipids such as cerebroside, sulfatide, cholesterol, proteolipids, and plasmalogens are concentrated in myelin¹¹and are greatly decreased in the brains of undernourished suckling rats.^12,13These chemical findings have been correlated with a decrease in the amount of myelin stained by the method of Loyez.⁵The activity of galactocerbroside sulfokinase and the incorporation of sulfatide into myelin of the rat also was reduced by neonatal malnutrition.⁶This reduction in amount of myelin persists throughout adult life despite prolonged nutritional rehabilitation.^6-13Histologic and biochemical recovery of the myelin content of the brain under these experimental conditions has been