Compromise of Cortical proNGF Maturation Causes Selective Retrograde Atrophy in Cholinergic Nucleus Basalis Neurons

The degeneration of Basal Forebrain Cholinergic Neurons (BFCNs) in Alzheimer ’s disease (AD) contributes to cognitive impairment. Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) secreted in the cerebral cortex is necessary for the phenotypic maintenance of BFCNs. AD is associated with disturbances in NGF metabolism, leading to reduced mature NGF (mNGF) levels and to an accumulation of its precu rsor, proNGF. We previously described that, in rats, this neurotrophic imbalance is sufficient to induce a loss of cortical cholinergic synapses.

Source: Neurobiology of Aging - March 8, 2018 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Simon Allard, Marie L. Jacobs, Sonia Do Carmo, A. Claudio Cuello Source Type: research