Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Cortical cholinergic dysfunction after human head injury

I Murdoch1, E K Perry, J A Court

  • 1Wellcome Surgical Institute & Hugh Fraser Neuroscience Laboratories, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom.

Journal of Neurotrauma
|May 30, 1998
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The treatment of traumatic shock: recent advances and unresolved questions.

European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society·2016
Same author

The neuroinflammatory response in humans after traumatic brain injury.

Neuropathology and applied neurobiology·2012
Same author

Nutritional markers in patients undergoing chronic haemodialysis in Jamaica.

The West Indian medical journal·2012
Same author

The morbidity of the button-over-nail technique for zone 1 flexor tendon repairs. Should we still be using this technique?

The Journal of hand surgery, European volume·2008
Same author

Reproducible peracute glutamate-induced focal lesions of the normal rat brain using microdialysis.

Journal of clinical neuroscience : official journal of the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia·2008
Same author

Focal cerebral ischaemia induces corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) vascular immunoreactivity in rat occluded hemisphere.

Regulatory peptides·2007
Same journal

Urinary Tract Infection Exaggerates Cognitive Deficits and Region-Specific Neuroinflammation Following Traumatic Brain Injury.

Journal of neurotrauma·2026
Same journal

Fall Risk and Physical/Occupational Therapy Referral Patterns in Older Adults with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

Journal of neurotrauma·2026
Same journal

The Effects of High-Thoracic Spinal Cord Injury on the Heart Transcriptome.

Journal of neurotrauma·2026
Same journal

Rigor and Transparency in Two Neurotrauma-Publishing Journals: Editorial Policies Improve Transparent Reporting.

Journal of neurotrauma·2026
Same journal

Neuroimaging and Fluid-Based Biomarkers in Sport-Related Concussion in Female Athletes: A Scoping Review.

Journal of neurotrauma·2026
Same journal

Transcranial Photobiomodulation Promotes Neurological Resilience in Current Collegiate American Football Players Exposed to Repetitive Head Acceleration Events.

Journal of neurotrauma·2026
See all related articles

Head injury significantly reduces choline acetyltransferase activity, a key marker of cholinergic neurotransmission, in human brain tissue. This study reveals a deficit in cholinergic presynaptic terminals following traumatic brain injury.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Neuropathology
  • Traumatic Brain Injury Research

Background:

  • Cholinergic neurotransmission plays a vital role in cognitive functions, including memory.
  • Head injury is frequently associated with cognitive deficits and memory impairment.
  • The specific impact of head injury on presynaptic cholinergic markers in human brain tissue requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate presynaptic markers of cholinergic neurotransmission in postmortem human brain tissue from individuals who sustained a head injury.
  • To compare these markers between head-injured patients and age-matched controls.
  • To explore potential correlations between head injury characteristics and changes in cholinergic markers.

Main Methods:

  • Assay of choline acetyltransferase activity and high-affinity nicotinic receptor binding in specific cortical regions (inferior temporal gyrus, cingulate gyrus, superior parietal cortex).

Related Experiment Videos

  • Determination of synaptophysin immunoreactivity in the cingulate gyrus.
  • Comparison of these markers between 16 head-injured patients and 8 age-matched controls.

    • Main Results:

    • Choline acetyltransferase activity was significantly reduced in all cortical regions of head-injured patients compared to controls.
    • Nicotine receptor binding remained unchanged between the groups.
    • Synaptophysin immunoreactivity was reduced by approximately 30% in the cingulate gyrus of head-injured patients (p < 0.05).
    • Lower choline acetyltransferase activity was associated with the presence of subdural hematoma and prolonged survival after injury.

    Conclusions:

    • Head injury leads to a deficit in cholinergic presynaptic terminals in human brain tissue.
    • The reduction in choline acetyltransferase activity, a presynaptic marker, suggests a loss of cholinergic nerve terminals.
    • These findings provide neuropathological evidence linking head injury to impaired cholinergic neurotransmission, potentially explaining cognitive dysfunction.