Central cholinergic activity in aluminum-induced neurofibrillary degeneration.

Choline acetyltransferase (CAT) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities were measured in spinal cord homogenates from rabbits with aluminum-induced neurofibrillary degeneration and a group of saline-treated, age-matched controls. All aluminum-treated animals showed neurofibrillary changes in the spinal cord, but CAT and AChE activities were not significantly different from levels in control animals. These results are at variance with the greatly reduced activity of these enzymes observed in Alzheimer disease and senile dementia of the Alzheimer type.