title: The integrity of the cholinergic system determines memory performance in healthy elderly.
abstract: The cholinergic system plays a central role in episodic memory-related processes in health and disease. Cerebral acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, a measure of the integrity of the cholinergic system, can be assessed in vivo using positron emission tomography (PET) and [(11)C]N-methyl-4-piperidyl acetate (MP4A). A close relationship between the kinetic constant k3 of MP4A and mnestic functions has been demonstrated for patients suffering from amnestic mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. Under the hypothesis that AChE activity and memory are intimately linked in older age, we obtained MP4A-PET and structural magnetic resonance images as well as neuropsychological data from fourteen healthy older adults. Multiple regression analysis revealed that AChE activity in areas previously implicated in mnestic functions predicted episodic memory performance irrespective of cortical atrophy. Data suggest that in older adults the integrity of the cholinergic system underlies inter-individual variability in memory function.
authors: Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany; Max-Planck-Institute for Neurological Research, Cologne, Germany. Electronic address: n.richter@fz-juelich.de.
authors: Nils
authors: N
authors: Richter
authors: Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors: Inka
authors: I
authors: Allendorf
authors: Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
authors: Oezguer A
authors: OA
authors: Onur
authors: Max-Planck-Institute for Neurological Research, Cologne, Germany; Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors: Lutz
authors: L
authors: Kracht
authors: Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors: Markus
authors: M
authors: Dietlein
authors: Max-Planck-Institute for Neurological Research, Cologne, Germany.
authors: Marc
authors: M
authors: Tittgemeyer
authors: Max-Planck-Institute for Neurological Research, Cologne, Germany.
authors: Bernd
authors: B
authors: Neumaier
authors: Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
authors: Gereon R
authors: GR
authors: Fink
authors: Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
authors: Juraj
authors: J
authors: Kukolja
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D061212:Memory, Episodic; D008875:Middle Aged; D010880:Piperidines; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; C100518:N-methyl-4-piperidyl acetate; D010880:Piperidines; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase
keywords: Acetylcholinesterase; Aging; Encoding; Hemispheric asymmetry; MP4A; Positron emission tomography; Retention