Glutamatergic and central cholinergic dysfunction in the CA1, CA2 and CA3 fields on spatial learning and memory in chronic cerebral ischemia—Induced vascular dementia of rats

Abstract

Chronic cerebral ischemia (CCI) is associated with cognitive decline in aging, vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Substantial evidence has shown that chronic cerebral ischemia may cause cognitive impairment, but the underlying neurobiological mechanism is poorly understood so far. In the present study, we used a rat model of chronic cerebral ischemia by permanent bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) to investigate the alterations of glutamatergic and central cholinergic dysfunction, and their causal relationship with the cognitive deficits induced by chronic cerebral ischemia. We found that BCCAO rats exhibited spatial learning and memory impairments dysfunction 3 month after BCCAO. Meanwhile, vGluT levels as well as glutamatergic and central cholinergic positive neurons in the hippocampus CA1-3 field significantly decreased. The protection of glutamergic and cholinergic neurons or regulating glutamate and central cholinergic levels in hippocampal subregion may have beneficial effects on cognitive impairments associated with the possible mechanism in CCI-induced vascular dementia.