title: Evaluation of the neurorestorative effects of the murine beta-nerve growth factor infusions in old rat with cognitive deficit.
abstract: The nerve growth factor (NGF) is known to participate in the regulation of the expression levels and activity of the choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in the nervous system. This enzyme is sensitive to the degenerative changes found in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We compared the effectiveness of intraparenchymal (ip) and intracerebroventricular (icv) administration of the murine beta-NGF (beta-NGFm) produced in our laboratories, through the determination of the expression levels and activity of the ChAT, and the evaluation of behavioral recovery in aged rat with cognitive deficit. Our results indicated that icv infusion of beta-NGFm stimulates the expression levels of ChAT gene in the striatum of old rats. Remarkable losses in the ChAT activity were observed in the septum and striatum of old rats. Exogenous administration of beta-NGFm produced a significant increase of ChAT activity in these brain regions differentially according to the administration pathway. The behavioral studies demonstrated that the administration pathway is an important factor in order to obtain the best results for a neurorestorative treatment.
authors.affiliation: International Center of Neurological Restoration, Havana City, Cuba. marycastellanos@yahoo.com
authors.forename: María R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Castellanos
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aguiar
authors.forename: Caridad Ivett
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Almaguer
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mejias
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Varela
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase