Long-term effects of selective immunolesions of cholinergic neurons of the nucleus basalis magnocellularis on the ascending cholinergic pathways in the rat: A model for Alzheimer's disease

► 192 IgG-saporin was injected to the nBM to elicit cholinergic hypofunction in the cortex. ► The immunotoxin differentially affected ChAT- and AChE-positive neurons in the nBM. ► It reduced the number of AChE-positive fibers of the ascending cholinergic pathway. ► Fibers to the primary motor cortex and the somatosensory cortex were similarly affected.