抄録
The effect of stimulation of the magnocellular nucleus of the basal forebrain (nucleus basalis of Meynert; NBM), which projects cholinergic fibers diffusely to the cerebral cortex, on the extracellular release of nerve growth factor (NGF) in the cerebral cortex in the parietal lobe was examined in halothane-anesthetized rats. NGF in the cortical extracellular fluid was collected every 100 min for 700 min using a microdialysis method and was measured by high sensitivity ELISA. The NGF concentration in the cortical perfusate in the resting condition was approximately 20 pg/ml, and this concentration was stable throughout the experiment when the NBM was not stimulated. When focal electrical stimulation was applied monolaterally to the NBM for 100 min, NGF in the perfusate of the cerebral cortex ipsilateral to the stimulated side did not change significantly during stimulation, but was increased by up to 66% at 200-500 min after the end of stimulation. These results show that stimulation of the NBM produces an increase in extracellular release of NGF in the cerebral cortex. The increased NGF may contribute to the maintenance of neuronal organization in both the cerebral cortex and the NBM. [J Physiol Sci. 2008;58 Suppl:S157]
