AF64A(ethylcholine aziridinium ion)-induced basal forebrain lesion impairs maze performance.
Rats were given bilateral injections of ethylcholine aziridinium ion, AF64A (1 nmol/side) into the basal forebrain (BF). One month later, choline acetyltransferase activity was reduced by 25% in the frontal cortex (FC). There was a marked decrease in cortical uptake of [3H]choline, but [3H]GABA and [3H]dopamine uptake was not affected by the injection. Histological analysis confirmed that this dose of AF64A caused acetylcholinesterase staining in the FC to disappear. Acquisition and retention of a T-maze task were impaired in the rats with BF lesions one month after the injection. Acquisition of the water-filled multiple T-maze task was also impaired by AF64A. These observations suggest that the cholinergic component in the BF is involved in spatial memory.
Nakamura
S
S
Laboratory of Experimental Pharmacology, Suntory Institute for Biomedical Research, Osaka, Japan.
Nakagawa
Y
Y
Kawai
M
M
Tohyama
M
M
Ishihara
T
T
D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001388:Aziridines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001389:Azirines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000187:drug effects*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects*; D002794:Choline / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000187:drug effects; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000187:drug effects; D009949:Orientation / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000187:drug effects; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000187:drug effects; D013377:Substantia Innominata / Q000187:drug effects*; D013697:Thermosensing / Q000187:drug effects
D001388:Aziridines; D001389:Azirines; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; C044894:ethylcholine aziridinium; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; D002794:Choline