NERVE GROWTH-FACTOR IN ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE - DEFECTIVE RETROGRADE TRANSPORT TO NUCLEUS BASALIS

NGF immunohistochemistry was combined with quantitative optical densit ometry to evaluate whether retrogradely transported NGF is altered wit hin cholinergic basal forebrain (CBF) neurons in Alzheimer's disease ( AD). In normal aged humans, almost all CBF neurons stained for NGF. Al though fewer in total number, remaining CBF perikarya in AD displayed diminished (32%) or undetectable NGF immunoreactivity. Based upon thes e data we hypothesize that there is a defect in retrograde transport o f NGF in AD which may be due to a abnormal production and/or utilizati on of the trk receptor. This defect may be a primary event mediating t he degeneration of CBF neurons in AD.