title: Cholinergic grafts in the neocortex or hippocampus of aged rats: reduction of delay-dependent deficits in the delayed non-matching to position task.
abstract: Aged (24 month) rats have previously been shown to manifest delay-dependent deficits in the performance of an operant delayed non-matching to position task. In the present experiment, cholinergic-rich grafts implanted into either the neocortex or the hippocampus of aged rats are shown to reinnervate the host neocortex and hippocampus, respectively, and to provide a significant amelioration of the host animals' short-term memory impairments. The results are discussed in light of the cholinergic hypothesis of geriatric memory dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Dunnett
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Badman
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Evenden
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Iversen
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000502:physiology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000196:embryology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000637:transplantation*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013997:Time Factors