Chromaffin cell grafts to rat cerebral cortex reverse lesion-induced memory deficits

Adrenal chromaffin cells were isolated from donor adult rats and transplanted to the cerebral cortex of bilaterally nucleus basalis magnocellularis-lesioned rats. Chromaffin cell grafts to lesioned animals completely reversed the spatial memory deficit seen in lesioned alone animals on a T-maze alternation task. Although chromaffin cell grafts have been used previously to reverse motor abnormalities arising from defective nigro-striatal aminergic transmission, the present report is the first evidence that chromaffin cell transplants can reverse deficits in memory function. Grafts also enhanced cortical acetylcholinesterase staining.