Effect of vagal autotransplantation on quantitative [H-3]-vesamicol binding image in rats with unilateral lesions of nucleus basalis magnocellularis

It is considered that nodosal ganglion grafting improves learning and memor y disorder in nucleus basalis magnocellularis lesioned rats, and that [H-3] -vesamicol is one of the mapping agents for presynaptic cholinergic neurons . Quantitative autoradiography was performed using high sensitive imaging p late system to evaluate the effect of neurotransplantation on [H-3]-vesamic ol binding. The affected-side to unaffected-side ratio of [H-3]-vesamicol i n the nucleus basalis magnocellularis lesioned group was significantly lowe r than that in the sham-operated group at 1, 2 and 4 weeks (P < 0.01). In t he transplanted group, the ratio was significantly higher than that in the untreated group at 4 weeks (P < 0.05). [H-3]-vesamicol binding is one of th e most sensitive indicators of nucleus basalis magnocellularis lesions and the effect of the nodosal ganglion grafting. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Irel and Ltd. All rights reserved.