Alzheimer disease: evidence for selective loss of cholinergic neurons in the nucleus basalis.
The nucleus basalis of Meynert provides diffuse cholinergic input to the neocortex. When compared with an age- and sex-matched control, the nucleus basalis from a patient with Alzheimer disease demonstrated substantial reduction of neurons. Loss of this neuronal population may represent an anatomical correlate of the well-documented cholinergic derangement in Alzheimer disease.
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000473:pathology*; D002452:Cell Count; D002799:Cholinergic Fibers / Q000473:pathology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male