Avian riboflavin deficiency causes reliably reproducible peripheral nerve demyelination and, with vitamin supplementation, rapid remyelination

Abstract

Riboflavin deficiency produces severe peripheral neve demyelination in young, rapidly growing chickens. While this naturally-occurring vitamin B2 deficiency can cause a debilitating peripheral neuropathy, and mortality, in poultry flocks, it can also be a useful experimental animal model to study the pathogenesis of reliably reproducible peripheral nerve demyelination. Moreover, restitution of normal riboflavin levels in deficient birds results in brisk remyelination. It is the only acquired, primary, demyelinating tomaculous neuropathy described to date in animals. The only other substance that causes peripheral nerve demyelination similar to avian riboflavin deficiency is tellurium and the pathologic features of the peripheral neuropathy produced by this developmental neurotoxin in weanling rats are also described.