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Effects of scopolamine and physostigmine on recognition memory in monkeys with ibotenic-acid lesions of the nucleus basalis of Meynert

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Abstract

Monkeys with bilateral ibotenic-acid lesions of the nucleus basalis of Meynert, an area rich in cholinergic neurons that innervate the cerebral cortex, were compared with unoperated control monkeys on a recognition memory task. Although animals with large lesions had substantial reductions of cortical choline acetyltransferase activity, none showed impairment in the task. Lesion effects were observed, however, when performance was assessed following administration of a muscarinic receptor blocker (scopolamine) or a cholinesterase inhibitor (physostigmine). Although scopolamine produced dose-related impairments in both groups, this effect was greater in the experimental animals. Conversely, whereas physostigmine produced modest improvement in performance in the control group, no such improvement was observed in the experimental animals. The altered sensitivity to the mnemonic effects of cholinergic agents in the experimental group suggests that the cholinergic neurons of the nucleus basalis of Meynert contribute to recognition memory.

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Author notes

  1. J. P. Aggleton

    Present address: Department of Psychology, Science Laboratories, University of Durham, South Road, DH1 3LE, Durham, England

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, 20892, Bethesda, MD, USA

    T. G. Aigner, J. P. Aggleton & M. Mishkin

  2. Departments of Neurology and Neuroscience, John Hopkins University, School of Medicine, 21205, Baltimore, MD, USA

    S. J. Mitchell & M. R. DeLong

  3. Department of Pathology, John Hopkins University, School of Medicine, 21205, Baltimore, MD, USA

    R. G. Struble

  4. Departments of Pathology, Neurology, and Neuroscience, Neuropathology Laboratory, John Hopkins University, School of Medicine, 21205, Baltimore, MD, USA

    D. L. Price

  5. Department of Psychology, Johns Hopkins University, 21218, Baltimore, MD, USA

    G. L. Wenk

Authors
  1. T. G. Aigner
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  4. M. R. DeLong
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  8. M. Mishkin
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Aigner, T.G., Mitchell, S.J., Aggleton, J.P. et al. Effects of scopolamine and physostigmine on recognition memory in monkeys with ibotenic-acid lesions of the nucleus basalis of Meynert. Psychopharmacology 92, 292–300 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00210833

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00210833

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