Cortical effects of neurotoxic damage to the nucleus basalis in rats: persistent loss of extrinsic cholinergic input and lack of transsynaptic effect upon the number of somatostatin-containing, cholinesterase-positive, and cholinergic cortical neurons.

Ibotenic acid injections into the nucleus basalis (Ch4) resulted in a near-total loss of cortical cholinesterase fibers. This loss of cholinergic input is irreversible for at least 6 months. The degeneration of cholinergic input has no transsynaptic effect upon the number of cortical somatostatinergic, cholinergic and cholinesterase-positive (cholinoceptive) neurons.