الفهرس 
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Abstract
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is the most common serious metabolic, multi-system disorder. Individuals with DM suffer increased incidence of the oxidative stress. Astrocytes play critical roles in the protection of neurons and its viability. This study aimed to investigate the effect of uncontrolled DM on astrocytes and Expression of GFAP and viability of neurons and the effect of treatment with insulin and vitamin E, either each alone or the effect of their combined treatment. Material and methods: One hundred twenty albino rats were divided into 5 groups: (control group), (diabetic group), (insulin group), (vitamin E group) and (vitamin E and Insulin). Blood glucose was measured weekly. After four and eight weeks, specimens of the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, cerebellum and the spinal cord had been collected, processed for measurement of the oxidative stress markers and cresyl staining and immunohistochemistry and western blotting for the GFAP. Results: after four and eight weeks, DM led to a significant decrease in the GFAP expression, significant increase in the oxidative stress markers and minimal changes in the purkinje cells of the in the diabetic rats cerebellum. On the other hand there was a significant increase in GFAP expression in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and the spinal cord of the diabetic rats with fewer degenerative neuronal changes and significant increase in the oxidative stress. These changes had been improved with insulin treatment alone better than treatment with vitamin E only, but the effect of the combined treatment is better than any of them alone.