Neuropathological effects of phenyl saligenin phosphate in chickens

Cyclic phenyl saligenin phosphate (PSP) proved to be a potent delayed neurotoxin, eliciting clinical disease and lesions, and depressing neuropathy target esterase and plasma cholinesterase at much lower doses than the protoxicant tri-ortho-tolyl phosphate (TOTP). Using adult White Leghorn chickens, we noted qualitative similarities in clinical signs and peripheral nerve and spinal cord lesions elicited by PSP and the TOTP. Ataxia and weakness were prominent clinical effects. Lesions began as a distal axonopathy affecting larger myelinated fibers in spinal cord white matter and peripheral nerve. The latter were studied in detail. Major features of the lesion were intra-axonal collections of mitochondria, dense and lamellar bodies, and granular degeneration of neurofilaments. These led to Wallerian-like degeneration. Percentages of teased peripheral nerve fibers demonstrating such degeneration correlated with severity of clinical signs.