title: Infusion of NMDA into the nucleus basalis of Meynert, frontal cortex or lateral ventricle in rats: effect on memory and cholinergic brain neurochemistry.
abstract: The present study's aim was to examine the behavioral and neurochemical effects of damage limited to intrinsic neurons of the frontal cortex in rats. Specifically, it was of interest to evaluate the effects of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid-induced lesions of discrete frontal cortical loci on passive avoidance memory and on cortical cholinergic neurochemical markers (choline acetyltransferase--CAT and acetylcholinesterase--ACHE). The present study also compared the behavioral and neurochemical effects produced by frontal cortical damage with those effects produced by lesions of the nucleus basalis of Meynert (nbM). Results indicated that nbM lesions and lesions to a rostral frontal cortical site produced severe passive avoidance memory impairments when subjects were tested 72 hours after training. Cortical, but not hippocampal, levels of CAT and ACHE were depleted in nbM animals only. These data were interpreted as providing support for the view that intrinsic frontal cortical neurons contribute to memory.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry Service, Bronx Veterans Administration Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10468.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Santucci
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Kanof
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Haroutunian
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D001479:Basal Ganglia; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects*; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000032:analysis; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013377:Substantia Innominata / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D001224:Aspartic Acid; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase