Selenium and Neurodevelopment

Brain is a privileged organ regarding selenium accumulation and metabolism. The discovery of a neurological phenotype in selenoprotein P knockout mouse provided a new perspective on the function of selenoproteins in brain. Since then, genetic studies in mice have revealed that some selenoproteins are indispensable to normal brain function. Neurodegeneration of GABAergic interneurons (PV+ neurons and Purkinje cells in cerebellum) was observed in Trsp and Secisbp2 knockout mice. Gpx4 knockout mice showed a similar phenotype, which could indicate that Gpx4 is necessary for maintenance or development of GABAergic interneurons. Similarly, SelT has a protective role for dopaminergic neurons and Txnrd1 is involved in radial glia development.