UNDERNUTRITION AND CEREBELLAR DEVELOPMENT

Undernutrition in laboratory animals has been shown to result in a permanent impairment of brain and body growth1, in decreased brain cholesterol2 and synthesis of cerebroside sulphate3,4 and in decreased brain cellularity5,6. The number of cells in the brain was determined by measuring the amount of DNA present, assuming this to be constant in each nucleus. In these studies, however, whole brain was used for DNA analyses, and possible alterations in DNA in parts of the brain were not allowed for. The purpose of the study described here was to ascertain whether malnutrition has any regionally specific effect on cell growth. © 1969 Nature Publishing Group.