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Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) in the Central Nervous System: Implications for the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease

  • Chapter
Brain Repair

Part of the book series: Wenner-Gren Center International Symposium Series ((WGS))

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Abstract

The physiological functions of NGF in the peripheral nervous system are already known for a long time (see Levi-Montalcini and Angeletti, 1968; Greene and Shooter, 1980; Thoenen and Barde, 1980). NGF regulates the regionally differential survival of sympathetic and neural crest-derived sensory neurons. This regulatory function comes into play when the axons of NGF-responsive neurons reach their target area (see Davies et al., 1987; Barde, 1989). Furthermore, NGF is essential for the differentiation and maintenance of neuron-specific functions such as the synthesis of enzymes involved in the production of neurotransmitters and neuron-specific peptides e.g. substance P and somatostatin (see Thoenen and Barde, 1980; Otten 1984). NGF acts as a retrograde messenger transferring information from the fields of projection in the periphery to the innervating NGF-responsive neurons (see Davies et al., 1987; Barde 1989). Following Darwinian principles, NGF is produced in the target fields in very small quantities permitting the survival of a limited number of neurons only. ’Injection of exogenous NGF increases the survival of NGF responsive neurons, thus abolishing natural cell death which occurs during normal development (see Hendry, 1980; Thoenen and Barde, 1980).

Present address: Institute for Brain Research, August-Forel-Str. 1, University of Zurich, CH-8029 Zurich, Switzerland

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Brain Research Institute, University of Zürich, August-Forel-Strasse 1, Ch-8029-Zürich, Switzerland

    Christine Bandtlow

Authors
  1. Dan Lindholm
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  2. Christine Bandtlow
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  3. Matthias Spranger
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  4. Bastian Hengerer
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  5. Michael Meyer
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  6. Rolf Heumann
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  7. Hans Thoenen
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Cell Research, University of Lund, Sweden

    Anders Björklund

  2. Center for Research in Neuroscience, Montreal General Hospital, Canada

    Albert J. Aguayo

  3. Wenner-Gren Center Foundation, Stockholm, Sweden

    David Ottoson

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Lindholm, D. et al. (1990). Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) in the Central Nervous System: Implications for the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease. In: Björklund, A., Aguayo, A.J., Ottoson, D. (eds) Brain Repair. Wenner-Gren Center International Symposium Series. Palgrave, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-11358-3_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-11358-3_8

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave, London

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  • Online ISBN: 978-1-349-11358-3

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