MEMORY DEFICITS AND CHOLINERGIC IMPAIRMENTS IN APOLIPOPROTEIN E-DEFICIENT MICE

Apolipoprotein E-deficient mice provide a useful system for studying t he role of apolipoprotein E (apoE) in the function of distinct neurona l systems, In the present study we focused on the cholinergic system o f these mice. This was pursued by measurements of specific biochemical , physiological and cognitive parameters, Morris Water Maze tasks reve aled impairments in working memory but not in reference memory of the apoE-deficient mice, Measurements of brain choline acetyltransferase a ctivities revealed them to be markedly lower in the hippocampus and fr ontal cortex of the apoE-deficient mice than in the corresponding brai n areas of the controls, but unaltered in other brain areas, In additi on, hypothermia induced by the centrally acting muscarinic agonist, ox otremorine, was reduced in the apoE-deficient mice as compared to cont rols, These results show that apoE-deficient mice have cholinergic def icits and highlight the importance of this mouse model for studying th e interactions between apoE and the cholinergic nervous system.