Among the others, dopaminergic system may play a relevant role in the mechanisms involved in learning and memory processes, showing strong synaptic interaction with acetylcholine in different brain areas ( Blokland, 1995 Brooks, 2006 Cao et al, 2005 Di Cara et al, 2007 Millan et al, 2007). However, besides altered acetylcholine transmission, recent advances evidenced that other neurotransmitter systems might be involved in cognitive dysfunction occurring in AD. The marked dysfunction of cholinergic neurons is considered a typical disease hallmark in Alzheimer's disease (AD), supporting the rationale for current pharmacological treatment based on drugs that enhance acetylcholine neurotransmission. ![]() These alterations might be responsible, at least in part, for the progressive cognitive decline observed in AD patients. Moreover, it is suggested that together with cholinergic, dopaminergic system alteration is likely to occur in AD, also. ![]() We conclude that dopamine can modify SLAI in AD, thus confirming the relationship between acetylcholine and dopamine systems. L-dopa administration was able to restore SLAI modification only in AD, having no effect in healthy subjects. We observed that SLAI was reduced in AD patients, and preserved in normal subjects. Then, we tested whether a single L-dopa challenge was able to interfere with this system in both groups. First, we tested the function of the cholinergic system in AD patients and in healthy subjects. To test whether cholinergic dysfunction can be modified by dopamine, we used short latency afferent inhibition (SLAI) as a neurophysiological tool. Among others, dopamine seems to be particularly involved in the regulation of cognitive processes, also having functional relationship with acetylcholine. ![]() However, besides altered acetylcholine transmission, other neurotransmitter systems are involved in cognitive dysfunction leading to dementia. In Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients dysfunction of cholinergic neurons is considered a typical hallmark, leading to a rationale for the pharmacological treatment in use based on drugs that enhance acetylcholine neurotransmission.
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