NEUROCHEMISTRY OF THE SPINAL CORD IN EXPERIMENTAL BORDER DISEASE (HYPOMYELINOGENESIS CONGENITA) OF LAMBS

— The total lipid, cholesterol (free and esterified), cerebroside, phospholipid and fat-free dry matter contents were estimated in spinal cords of lambs affected with experimentally produced Border Disease. Comparisons were made with a healthy control group and with a group of lambs obtained from vaccinated ewes. Clinically affected lambs showing tremors ('shaking’), a‘hairy’birthcoat or both were found to possess one or two myelin lipid abnormalities. These were a generalised deficiency of myelin lipids (notably cerebroside) and the presence of abnormal quantities of esterified cholesterol. The former was particularly associated with the birthcoat defect and the latter with the neurological signs. Previous exposure of the ewes to the infective agent (vaccination 28 days before mating) appeared to give considerable protection against the degenerative lipid changes and against 'shaking’but less against myelin dysgenesis and‘hairiness’.