title: Effects of chronic infusion of nerve growth factor (NGF) in AF64A-lesioned rats.
abstract: We report here the behavioral and biochemical recovery induced by the nerve growth factor (NGF) administration in AF64A-treated rats. Retention in the passive avoidance test was affected by lesion but it was significantly improved after the NGF treatment. Similar results were observed in the performance during the Morris water maze (MWM) task. Remarkable losses in the ChAT activity were detected in some brain regions from lesioned rats. The NGF-induced alleviation of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity losses and cognitive functions suggest a trophic and protective action on the remaining cholinergic neurons after the lesion. Thus NGF therapy could be considered as a possibility mainly in the early course of Alzheimer disease.
authors.affiliation: Basic Division, International Center of Neurological Restoration, Havana, Cuba.
authors.forename: C I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Soto
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Quijano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D001388:Aziridines / Q000633:toxicity*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000201:enzymology; D002794:Choline / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000633:toxicity; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000201:enzymology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000201:enzymology; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009466:Neuromuscular Blocking Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001388:Aziridines; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009466:Neuromuscular Blocking Agents; C044894:ethylcholine aziridinium; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase; D002794:Choline