TRANSPLANTATION OF BASAL FOREBRAIN CELLS OF FETAL RATS INTO THE SUBARACHNOID SPACE - IMPROVEMENT OF DISTURBANCE OF PASSIVE-AVOIDANCE MEMORYDUE TO INJURY NUCLEUS BASALIS MAGNOCELLULARIS
K. Kyoshima et al., TRANSPLANTATION OF BASAL FOREBRAIN CELLS OF FETAL RATS INTO THE SUBARACHNOID SPACE - IMPROVEMENT OF DISTURBANCE OF PASSIVE-AVOIDANCE MEMORYDUE TO INJURY NUCLEUS BASALIS MAGNOCELLULARIS, Acta neurochirurgica, 133(1-2), 1995, pp. 68-72
Basal forebrain cells of foetal rats were transplanted into the subara
chnoid space of adult rats harbouring a kainic acid-induced unilateral
lesion in the nucleus basalis magnocellularis. Passive avoidance resp
onse tests were performed eight weeks after the transplantation, and t
he results were compared with those of lesioned but non-transplanted r
ats and of non-lesioned control rats. Although acquisition impairments
did not improve, retention impairments were significantly ameliorated
in the transplanted rats. Histologically, transplanted foetal neurons
survived and grew very well over the cortical surface, and exhibited
facilitated neuritic elongation on acetylcholinesterase staining. Chol
ine acetyl-transferase-immunoreactive neurons were found along the nee
dle track as well as in the subarachnoid graft tissues. The results se
em to indicate that not the re-innervation from the graft to the host
cortex but the diffusional supply of neurotransmitters and/or their sy
nthetic enzymes and neurotrophic factors were responsible for improvem
ent of memory deficits. The subarachnoid space proved to be an adequat
e place for growth of transplanted neuronal and glial cells for reason
s of ample supply of oxygen and nutrition and of low tissue pressure.