title: Emerging pharmacology of nerve growth factor.
abstract: 1. Partial transection of the septo-hippocampal pathway decreased measures of presynaptic cholinergic function in the rat hippocampal formation. 2. Chronic intraventricular treatment with recombinant human nerve growth factor attenuated lesioned-induced deficits in cholinergic function. Following nerve growth factor treatment measures of choline acetyltransferase activity, acetylcholine synthesis and release were significantly increased compared to cytochrome c-treated lesioned animals. 3. Single injections of nerve growth factor were ineffective in altering lesioned-induced deficits in cholinergic function. 4. Chronic nerve growth factor treatment was ineffective in increasing presynaptic cholinergic function if administered 3 or more weeks following fimbrial transections. 5. The nerve growth factor-induced increases of presynaptic cholinergic function persisted for 3 weeks following the cessation of chronic 3 week nerve growth factor treatment.
authors.affiliation: Andrus Gerontology Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Lapchak
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hefti
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000818:Animals; D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase; D002794:Choline; D000109:Acetylcholine