Pathologic effects of antimetabolites on the hippocampus of diet controlled mice.

Marked histological changes are observed in the hippocampi of mice maintained on a niacin deficient diet following a single injection of 3-acetylpyridine (antimetabolite of nicatinamide). Extensive neuronal damage occurs in areas H2, H3 and to a lesser degree in the dentate gyrus. The neurons appear to be shrunken, deeply basophilic and exhibit a loss of intracellular architecture. The neuronal response in pyridoxine deficient mice treated with 4-methoxypyridoxine (antimetabolite of pyridoxine) is not remarkable.