It is considered that nodosal ganglion grafting improves learning and memory disorder in nucleus basalis magnocellularis lesioned rats, and that [3H]-vesamicol is one of the mapping agents for presynaptic cholinergic neurons. Quantitative autoradiography was performed using high sensitive imaging plate system to evaluate the effect of neurotransplantation on [3H]-vesamicol binding. The affected-side to unaffected-side ratio of [3H]-vesamicol in the nucleus basalis magnocellularis lesioned group was significantly lower than that in the sham-operated group at 1, 2 and 4weeks (P0.01). In the transplanted group, the ratio was significantly higher than that in the untreated group at 4weeks (P0.05). [3H]-vesamicol binding is one of the most sensitive indicators of nucleus basalis magnocellularis lesions and the effect of the nodosal ganglion grafting.
