title: Cholinergic markers in the cortex and hippocampus of some animal species and their correlation to Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The cholinergic system includes neurons located in the basal forebrain and their long axons that reach the cerebral cortex and the hippocampus. This system modulates cognitive function. In Alzheimer's disease (AD) and ageing, cognitive impairment is associated with progressive damage to cholinergic fibres, which leads us to the cholinergic hypothesis for AD.
  
  
  METHODS
  The AD produces alterations in the expression and activity of acetyltransferase (ChAT) and acetyl cholinesterase (AChE), enzymes specifically related to cholinergic system function. Both proteins play a role in cholinergic transmission, which is altered in both the cerebral cortex and the hippocampus due to ageing and AD. Dementia disorders are associated with the severe destruction and disorganisation of the cholinergic projections extending to both structures. Specific markers, such as anti-ChAT and anti-AChE antibodies, have been used in light immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy assays to study this system in adult members of certain animal species.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This paper reviews the main immunomorphological studies of the cerebral cortex and hippocampus in some animal species with particular emphasis on the cholinergic system and its relationship with the AD.
authors: Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias (CUCBA), Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan, México.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Orta-Salazar
authors: Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias (CUCBA), Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan, México.
authors: C A
authors: CA
authors: Cuellar-Lemus
authors: Instituto de Neurobiología (INB), Campus UNAM-Juriquilla, Juriquilla, Querétaro, México.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Díaz-Cintra
authors: Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias (CUCBA), Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan, México. Electronic address: alfredoferia1340@hotmail.com.
authors: A I
authors: AI
authors: Feria-Velasco
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism*; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D002799:Cholinergic Fibers / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase
keywords: Acetilcolinesterasa; Acetyl cholinesterase; Alzheimer's disease; Cerebral cortex; Choline acetyltransferase; Cholinergic innervation; Colina acetiltransferasa; Corteza cerebral; Enfermedad de Alzheimer; Hipocampo; Hippocampus; Inervación colinérgica