The Pathology of the Human Nucleus Basalis of Meynert and its Implications for a Specific Therapy

Abstract

Cholinergic neurons of the central nervous system have been implicated in a number of physiological processes such as learning and memory, sleep-wake-cycles, arousal and attentiveness (see Steriade and Buzsaki, 1990). Thus, a breakdown of central cholinergic transmission which can be observed in various mental disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD) and post-alcoholic Korsakoff s disease (KD) might play an important role in the early and primary symptoms of these disorders. This line of thinking which implies the existence of a direct cause-effect relationship between a dysfunction of cholinergic neurons and memory loss in aging and dementia became known as the “cholinergic hypothesis of geriatric memory dysfunction” (Bartus et al., 1985). Additional evidence for the implication of the cholinergic system in cognitive function was obtained from a multitude of animal experiments using stimulation, acute and chronic lesion techniques as well as pharmacological manipulations of cholinergic neurotransmission (see Steriade and Buzsaki, 1990). The primary significance of research concerned with the “cholinergic hypothesis” is based upon the presumption that greater insight into the common neuronal pathways responsible for the cognitive disturbances may eventually lead to an effective therapeutic treatment of age-related cognitive disorders which today impose an increasing social and economic burden to our society.