Cerebral cortex cholinergic innervation

Jones, B. E. (2004). Activity, modulation and role of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons innervating the cerebral cortex. Prog. Brain Res. 145, 157-69. 

Cortical and hippocampal pyramidal cells are noteworthy in at least three ways (1) they are preferentially, but not exclusively, innervated by cholinergic terminals (2) they are implicated as a potential site of consciousness and (3) they are enriched with cytoskeletal proteins, some of which undergo hyperphosphorylation in Alzheimer s disease. A novel signal transduction mode may exist within the large pyramidal cells of the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. 

Mesulam, M.M. (1996) The systems-level organization of cholinergic innervation in the human cerebral cortex and its alterations in Alzheimer s disease. Prog Brain Res 109 285-297. 

Mesulam MM. 2004. The cholinergic innervation of the human cerebral cortex. Prog Brain Res 145 67-78. 

The human cortex receives dense cholinergic innervation from cells in the nucleus basalis of Mcynert (Ch4 Selden et al, 1998). Anaiogou.s to rodent brain, two bundle.s of fibers (medial and lateral tracts) originate in the nucleus ba.sali.s and innervate the cerebral cortex and amygdala. AChE, ChAT, and NGF receptors arc exprc.ssed by these neurons. 

Cholinergic neurons within the central reticular core influence sleep patterns (Jones, 1993). The Ch4 nucleus, sending fibers to the cerebral cortex, and the Ch5 cell group, innervating the thalamus and cortex, appear important in... 

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