A post-mortem comparison of the cortical cholinergic system in Alzheimer's disease and Pick's disease

• Published in: Journal of the neurological sciences Vol. 62; no. 1; pp. 211 - 217
• Main Authors: Wood, P.L., Etienne, P., Lal, S., Nair, N.P.V., Finlayson, M.H., Gauthier, S., Palo, J., Haltia, M., Paetau, A., Bird, E.D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier B.V 01.12.1983; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Alzheimer Disease - metabolism; Alzheimer Disease - pathology; Alzheimer's disease; Biological and medical sciences; Cerebral Cortex - metabolism; Cerebral Cortex - pathology; Choline acetyltransferase; Choline O-Acetyltransferase - metabolism; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Dementia - metabolism; Dementia - pathology; Female; Gerstmann-Straussler syndrome; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Muscarinic receptors; Neurology; Oxotremorine - metabolism; Pick's disease; Quinuclidinyl Benzilate - metabolism; Receptors, Muscarinic - metabolism; Somatostatin; Somatostatin - metabolism; Pick's disease; Choline acetyltransferase; Somatostatin; Muscarinic receptors; Alzheimer's disease; Gerstmann-Straussler syndrome; Human; Cerebral cortex; Nervous system diseases; Alzheimer disease; Autopsy; Pick disease; Degenerative disease; Muscarinic receptor; Neuropeptide
• ISSN: 0022-510X; 1878-5883
• DOI: 10.1016/0022-510X(83)90200-9

Assessment of neurochemical markers in the frontal cortex indicates that choline acetyltransferase is significantly decreased in Alzheimer's and Gerstmann Straussler dementias but not in Pick's dementia. It therefore appears that the cholinergic innervation of the cortex from the basal forebrain is intact in Pick's disease. Cortical somatostatin was decreased only in Alzheimer's disease (AD), indicating that loss of somatostatin is not a constant feature in different forms of dementia. Muscarinic binding sites were unaltered in Pick's disease and Gerstmann-Straussler syndrome but were decreased in a subpopulation of AD patients. These data suggest that in some cases of AD a significant loss of cholinoceptive neurones in the cortex is evident.