Effects of traumatic brain injury on the cholinergic system in the rat

• Published in: Journal of neurotrauma Vol. 13; no. 8; p. 457
• Main Authors: Gorman, L K, Fu, K, Hovda, D A, Murray, M, Traystman, R J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-08-1996
• Subjects: Analysis of Variance; Animals; Brain - enzymology; Brain - physiology; Brain - physiopathology; Brain Injuries - enzymology; Brain Injuries - physiopathology; Cerebellum - enzymology; Choline O-Acetyltransferase - metabolism; Entorhinal Cortex - enzymology; Frontal Lobe - enzymology; Hippocampus - enzymology; Kinetics; Male; Memory - physiology; Occipital Lobe - enzymology; Organ Specificity; Parietal Lobe - enzymology; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Temporal Lobe - enzymology; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0897-7151
• DOI: 10.1089/neu.1996.13.457

Rats subjected to a mild to moderate fluid percussion injury exhibit memory deficits that are similar to rats that have received lesions of the septohippocampal system. Because the cholinergic system plays a major role in septohippocampal function, we studied the kinetics of the synthetic enzyme for acetylcholine, choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), at 1 h, 24 h, or 5 days after a fluid percussion injury. Decreases in ChAT activity were found in the dorsal hippocampus (25%), frontal (32%), and temporal (23%) cortices 1 h after injury. In the parietal cortex, a greater than 50% increase in ChAT activity was observed at all time intervals assessed. At 5 days after TBI, there was an 18% increase in ChAT activity in the medial septal area. These data provide evidence that a mild to moderate fluid percussion injury produces changes in the cholinergic system in brain areas related to memory.