Vitamin E and equine motor neuron disease: what the study really reveals

The study conducted at Cornell University examines the link between vitamin E deficiency and the development of Equine Motor Neuron Disease (EMND), a neurodegenerative condition in horses that resembles, in its mechanisms, certain forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in humans. The researchers aimed to determine whether a prolonged deficiency in vitamin E could actually cause the disease, rather than simply being associated with it.

To do this, eleven horses with already low vitamin E levels were monitored over several years. They were fed a diet deliberately low in vitamin E and had no access to fresh grass. The study reports that “ten horses developed EMND within 44 months of enrollment,” while none of the control horses, which were fed normally, developed the disease.

The analyses show a marked drop in plasma vitamin E levels: “the median percentage decrease between the beginning and the end of the study was 82%.” Despite this significant decline, the levels of other antioxidants (vitamins A, C, beta‑carotene, GSH‑Px, SOD1) remained stable, reinforcing the idea that vitamin E plays a central role in protecting motor neurons.

The vitamin‑E‑deficient horses exhibited characteristic neurological lesions confirmed through histopathology: degeneration of motor neurons, muscle atrophy, and retinal changes linked to the deficiency. These lesions are described as “remarkably similar to those observed in human progressive muscular atrophy.”

The study concludes that chronic vitamin E deficiency is a major causal factor in the development of EMND. It highlights the importance of pasture access, forage quality, and appropriate supplementation to prevent this serious disease, particularly in horses kept in stables or fed nutrient‑poor hay.

Source: Vitamin E deficiency and risk of equine motor neuron disease – PMC

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