High-affinity choline uptake and muscarinic receptors in rat brain during aging

• Published in: Archives of gerontology and geriatrics Vol. 15; no. 1; pp. 87 - 97
• Main Authors: Krištofiková, Z., Klaschka, J., Tejkalová, H., Benecšová, O.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.07.1992; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Brain aging; Brain muscarinic receptors; Development. Metamorphosis. Moult. Ageing; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; HACU; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Brain aging; Brain muscarinic receptors; HACU; Senescence; Rat; Rodentia; Central nervous system; Uptake; Vertebrata; Cholinergic receptor; Mammalia; Choline; Aged animal; Muscarinic receptor; Brain (vertebrata); Cholinergic transmission
• ISSN: 0167-4943; 1872-6976
• DOI: 10.1016/0167-4943(92)90043-4

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of aging on the high-affinity choline uptake (HACU) and the muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChR) in the brain of Wistar male rats and to define more precisely the steps of the brain cholinergic degeneration in the course of the whole animal life. In 24-month-old rats, a substantial decrease in HACU values in the hippocampus (to 65–75%) and in the density of mAChR in the cortex (to 76%) was found in comparison with 3-month-old controls. The interaction of muscarinic receptor antagonist pirenzepine with [ 3H]QNB indicated a decrease in low-affinity sites (M 2) in 24-month-old rats. The first slight changes due to aging manifested themselves by the reduction in HACU values very early (between 6 and 12 months), the decrease of the muscarinic receptor density was observed in a later stage (19-month-old animals). Regression analysis indicated considerable dependence of the HACU values on age (the correlation coefficient r=−0.689, the slope b=−0.279 pmol/4 min per mg prot per month, P<0.001) while the density of muscarinic receptors does not correlate with age so markedly ( r=−0.415, b=−6.316 fmol/mg prot per month, P=0.018).