Electroencephalographic patterns in pellagra

Abstract

An EEG study in twenty-nine adult male subjects suffering from pellagra showed the presence of excess theta activity and occasionally delta activity in twenty-two subjects, as compared to such patterns in only two of eighteen controls. All six pellagrins who had obvious clinical mental changes had abnormal patterns, while several of them who had abnormal patterns had apparently normal mental status. These abnormal patterns were completely reversed following therapy with nicotinamide. Administration of either l-leucine or quinolinic acid for 6-10 days brought about changes in the mental status as well as EEG in pellagrins but not in control subjects. These changes were reversible upon interruption of these supplements. It is suggested that dietary excess of the essential amino acid, leucine, may be related to the mental changes and the EEG patterns seen in pellagrins who subsist on diets based predominantly on sorghum.