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Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)1998; 154(3); 203-213; doi: 10.1016/s1090-0233(97)80021-4

Association between plasma vitamin E concentration and the risk of equine motor neuron disease.

Abstract: Equine motor neuron disease (EMND) is a neurodegenerative disorder of the somatic lower motor neurons that results in a syndrome of diffuse neuromuscular disease in the adult horse. The aetiology of this disorder is unknown, although prior studies have suggested that a deficiency in the lipid antioxidant vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) contributes to the development of EMND. This paper describes a case-control study designed to investigate the association between plasma vitamin E levels and the risk of EMND for horses. Signalment, plasma vitamin E levels at the time of referral, and information relative to dietary and management practices were collected from 53 horses diagnosed with EMND and 69 controls. The mean plasma vitamin E concentration in EMND cases was significantly lower than that of control horses. After controlling for other risk factors of EMND, there was a statistically significant association between plasma vitamin E levels and EMND, with the likelihood of the disease increasing as the vitamin E concentration decreased. These findings support the reported role of vitamin E deficiency as one of the risk factors for EMND.
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Publication Date: 1998-01-01 PubMed ID: 9414953DOI: 10.1016/s1090-0233(97)80021-4Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support
  • U.S. Gov't
  • P.H.S.

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research involves investigating the link between plasma vitamin E levels and the occurrence of equine motor neuron disease (EMND) in horses. The authors found that a decrease in plasma vitamin E concentration heightens the risk of EMND, reinforcing the notion of vitamin E deficiency being a significant factor in this neurogenerative disorder.

Overview of Equine Motor Neuron Disease (EMND)

  • EMND is a neurodegenerative disease afflicting adult horses targeting their lower motor neurons. It manifests as an expansive neuromuscular disease.
  • While the exact cause of EMND remains a mystery, vitamin E deficiency has been implied to play a role in initiating the disease.

Purpose and Methodology of the Study

  • The authors designed a case-control study to explore the correlation between plasma vitamin E levels and the likelihood of EMND in horses.
  • The study involved gathering data from both 53 horses identified with EMND (cases) and 69 horses without the disease (control).
  • Details collected included signalment, dietary and management practices, and plasma vitamin E concentration at the point of referral.

Findings of the Study

  • Analysis demonstrated that the average plasma vitamin E level in horses with EMND was significantly lower than that in the control horses.
  • After adjusting for additional EMND risk factors, there was still a strong statistical correlation between plasma vitamin E levels and EMND. The probability of developing EMND rose as the vitamin E concentration fell.

Implications of the Study

  • The results obtained from this study provide further credibility to the argument that vitamin E deficiency can act as a risk factor for EMND.
  • The information derived from the research could be utilised for developing preventative measures or treatments focused on enhancing vitamin E levels in horses at risk.

Cite This Article

APA
De la Rúa-Domènech R, Mohammed HO, Cummings JF, Divers TJ, De Lahunta A, Summers BA. (1998). Association between plasma vitamin E concentration and the risk of equine motor neuron disease. Vet J, 154(3), 203-213. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1090-0233(97)80021-4

Publication

Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)
ISSN: 1090-0233
NlmUniqueID: 9706281
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 154
Issue: 3
Pages: 203-213

Researcher Affiliations

De la Rúa-Domènech, R
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850-6401, USA.
Mohammed, H O
    Cummings, J F
      Divers, T J
        De Lahunta, A
          Summers, B A

            MeSH Terms

            • Animals
            • Breeding
            • Case-Control Studies
            • Diet / veterinary
            • Female
            • Horse Diseases / diagnosis
            • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
            • Horse Diseases / etiology
            • Horses
            • Male
            • Motor Neuron Disease / epidemiology
            • Motor Neuron Disease / etiology
            • Motor Neuron Disease / veterinary
            • Risk Factors
            • Vitamin E / blood
            • Vitamin E / physiology
            • Vitamin E Deficiency / complications
            • Vitamin E Deficiency / veterinary

            Grant Funding

            • IR 29NS 29674-01 / NINDS NIH HHS

            Citations

            This article has been cited 9 times.
            1. Gołyński M, Metyk M, Ciszewska J, Szczepanik MP, Fitch G, Bęczkowski PM. Homocysteine-Potential Novel Diagnostic Indicator of Health and Disease in Horses. Animals (Basel) 2023 Apr 11;13(8).
              doi: 10.3390/ani13081311pubmed: 37106874google scholar: lookup
            2. Harvey AM, Ramp D, Mellor DJ. Review of the Foundational Knowledge Required for Assessing Horse Welfare. Animals (Basel) 2022 Dec 1;12(23).
              doi: 10.3390/ani12233385pubmed: 36496906google scholar: lookup
            3. Habib H, Finno CJ, Gennity I, Favro G, Hales E, Puschner B, Moeller BC. Simultaneous quantification of vitamin E and vitamin E metabolites in equine plasma and serum using LC-MS/MS. J Vet Diagn Invest 2021 May;33(3):506-515.
              doi: 10.1177/10406387211005433pubmed: 33847203google scholar: lookup
            4. Husulak ML, Lohmann KL, Gabadage K, Wojnarowicz C, Marqués FJ. Equine motor neuron disease in 2 horses from Saskatchewan. Can Vet J 2016 Jul;57(7):771-6.
              pubmed: 27429468
            5. Díez de Castro E, Zafra R, Acevedo LM, Pérez J, Acosta I, Rivero JL, Aguilera-Tejero E. Eosinophilic Enteritis in Horses with Motor Neuron Disease. J Vet Intern Med 2016 May;30(3):873-9.
              doi: 10.1111/jvim.13944pubmed: 27015868google scholar: lookup
            6. Mohammed HO, Starkey SR, Stipetic K, Divers TJ, Summers BA, de Lahunta A. The role of dietary antioxidant insufficiency on the permeability of the blood-brain barrier. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2008 Dec;67(12):1187-93.
              doi: 10.1097/NEN.0b013e31818f8f51pubmed: 19018244google scholar: lookup
            7. Delguste C, de Moffarts B, Kirschvink N, Art T, Pincemail J, Defraigne JO, Amory H, Lekeux P. Change in blood antioxidant status of horses moved from a stable following diagnosis of equine motor neuron disease. Can Vet J 2007 Nov;48(11):1165-7.
              pubmed: 18050798
            8. Mohammed HO, Divers TJ, Summers BA, de Lahunta A. Vitamin E deficiency and risk of equine motor neuron disease. Acta Vet Scand 2007 Jul 2;49(1):17.
              doi: 10.1186/1751-0147-49-17pubmed: 17605810google scholar: lookup
            9. Xu Z, Jung C, Higgins C, Levine J, Kong J. Mitochondrial degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Bioenerg Biomembr 2004 Aug;36(4):395-9.
              doi: 10.1023/B:JOBB.0000041774.12654.e1pubmed: 15377878google scholar: lookup
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