Cholinergic enzyme activity during partial brain ischemia in the dog

Activity of cholinacetyltransferase (ChAT. EC 2.3.1.6) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE, EC 3.1.1.7) was monitored during occlusion of arteria cerebri media dx. (MCA) in five areas of the brain cortex, in nucleus caudatus and in the thalamus of the ipsilateral and contralateral hemisphere. After 1 hour of MCA occlusion ChAT and AChE activity was reduced in the ischemised region of the hemisphere, i. e. in gyrus ectosylvius anterior and gyrus sylvius anterior, whereas after 4 hours of occlusion the differences were not significant. In nc. caudatus and thalamus the activity of enzymes during ischemia did not change much.