title: Normal beta-NGF content in Alzheimer's disease cerebral cortex and hippocampus.
abstract: Nerve growth factor (beta-NGF) is known to have beneficial effects on cholinergic cell survival and to function both in vivo and in vitro. It has been speculated that this protein, or the lack of it, may be involved in the aetiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We describe the measurement of beta-NGF content in 4 regions of the cerebral cortex and the hippocampus in AD brain compared with brain tissue from age-matched normal subjects using a sensitive sandwich immunoassay (ELISA). There was no difference in beta-NGF content in any region examined in AD compared with normal values despite the marked loss of cortical cholinergic function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine [Care of the Elderly], University of Bristol, Bristol Royal Infirmary, U.K.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: MacGowan
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Treanor
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Feeney
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Wilcock
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dawbarn
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001344:Autopsy; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000032:analysis*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase