Exogenous NGF restores endogenous NGF distribution in the brain of the cognitively impaired aged rat.
Alzheimer's disease and normal aging may impair retrograde transport of nerve growth factor (NGF) from cortical areas to basal forebrain cholinergic neurons. We demonstrate a relationship between performance in a spatial reference memory task and NGF distribution in the aged rat brain. In addition, exogenous NGF restored endogenous NGF distribution in cognitively impaired aged rats. These data suggest that NGF administration restores utilization of endogenous growth factor in the brain of cognitively impaired aged rats.
Albeck
Dave
D
Department of Psychology, University of Colorado at Denver, Campus Box 173, P.O. Box 173364, 80217-3364, USA. dalbeck@carbon.cudenver.edu
Mesches
Michael H
MH
Juthberg
Sonya
S
Browning
Michael
M
Bickford
Paula C
PC
Rose
Gregory M
GM
Granholm
A-Ch
AC
D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344
D020932:Nerve Growth Factor