Dekker_1993_Brain.Res_601_329

Lesions of the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM) increased the number of neurons in the frontal neocortex staining for choline acetyltransferase (ChAT). Intracerebroventricular treatment with nerve growth factor (NGF; 10 micrograms per day for 6 weeks) did not further increase this number. NGF increased the size of NBM neurons [Brain Res., 584 (1992) 55-63], but not those in the neocortex. However, NGF increased the area of ChAT-positive fiber staining in the neocortex. These data suggest that NGF enhances cholinergic innervation to the neocortex by affecting residual NBM neurons, rather than cortical cholinergic neurons.