Cholinergic influences on hippocampal glucose metabolism

2-Deoxy-D-[3H]glucose autoradiography was employed to investigate the effects of acute cholinergic manipulations on hippocampal glucose metabolism. In general, manipulations designed to reduce cholinergic activity (medial septal ablation, atropine treatment) reduced hippocampal glucose metabolism. Maximal decrements were found in the terminal fields of the septohippocampal projection after medial septal lesions, while maximal deficits after atropine treatment correlated with muscarinic receptor binding. Electrical stimulation of the medial septum resulted in increased glucose utilization in some terminal fields of the septohippocampal projection and decreased utilization in the terminal fields of the perforant pathway. Our data clearly indicate that acute alterations in cholinergic activity can affect hippocampal glucose metabolism but the distribution, direction and degree of these changes is dependent on the specific treatment.