Intrafimbrial colchicine produces transient impairment of radial-arm maze performance correlated with morphologic abnormalities of septohippocampal neurons expressing cholinergic markers and nerve growth factor receptor.
The microtubule disrupting agent, colchicine, was infused both bilaterally and unilaterally into the fimbria of the rat brain. Such infusions produced a transient impairment in radial-arm maze performance during the first week following surgery but only in bilaterally injected animals. This behavioral finding was correlated with a reduction in the number of neurons expressing choline acetyltransferase and nerve growth factor receptor in the septum and vertical limb of the diagonal band but not in other regions of the basal nuclear complex. The altered expression of the two neurochemical markers was not due to cellular degeneration because numbers of neurons demonstrated by Nissl staining were unchanged. Putative cholinergic fibers in the fimbria demonstrating acetylcholinesterase and nerve growth factor receptor also showed aberrations in caliber, shape, and course.
Di Patre
P L
PL
Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles 90024-1563.
Oh
J D
JD
Simmons
J M
JM
Butcher
L L
LL
D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D003078:Colchicine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor
D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; D003078:Colchicine