title: Galanin in Alzheimer's disease: neuroinhibitory or neuroprotective?
abstract: Galanin (GAL) and GAL receptors (GALRs) are overexpressed in degenerating brain regions associated with cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The functional consequences of GAL plasticity in AD are unclear. GAL inhibits cholinergic transmission in the hippocampus and impairs spatial memory in rodent models, suggesting GAL overexpression exacerbates cognitive impairment in AD. By contrast, gene expression profiling of individual cholinergic basal forebrain (CBF) neurons aspirated from AD tissue revealed that GAL hyperinnervation positively regulates mRNAs that promote CBF neuronal function and survival. GAL also exerts neuroprotective effects in rodent models of neurotoxicity. These data support the growing concept that GAL overexpression preserves CBF neuron function which in turn may slow the onset of AD symptoms. Further elucidation of GAL activity in selectively vulnerable brain regions will help gauge the therapeutic potential of GALR ligands for the treatment of AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, 1735 West Harrison Street Suite 300, Chicago, Ilinois 60612, USA.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Counts
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Mufson
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D019004:Galanin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D044088:Receptors, Galanin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D044088:Receptors, Galanin; D019004:Galanin