One of the neuropathological changes that has received intensive evaluation by scientists is the cholinergic deficit in the neocortex and the forebrain limbic system. Alzheimer’s patients lose 75-85% of their neurons in the nucleus basalis of Meynert (nbM). The transactions of the fimbria-fornix in monkey brain can induce retrograde degeneration of neurons in the basal forebrain cholinergic system including both nbM and medial septum, this model has been suggested to be alterations of older individuals (Price et al., Brain Pathol. 1991, 1:287-296).

-          stereotaxic sugery – Axotomy

   

-          Behavioral recording and analysis: declines in performance on cognitive and memory tasks according to Bartus methods (Bartus et al. 1983, Psychopharmacol. Bull., 19:168).

-          Neuropathologic examination (degenerative changes in neurons, abnormal axons and neuritis, deposits of amyloid in senile plaques, etc.)