Galanin in Alzheimer disease.

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Galanin (GAL) and GAL receptors (GALR) are overexpressed in limbic brain regions associated with cognition in Alzheimer disease (AD). The functional consequences of this overexpression are unclear. Because GAL inhibits cholinergic transmission and restricts long-term potentiation in the hippocampus, GAL overexpression may exacerbate clinical features of AD. In contrast, GAL expression increases in response to neuronal injury, and galaninergic hyperinnervation prevents the decreased production of protein phosphatase 1 subtype mRNAs in cholinergic basal forebrain neurons in AD. Thus, GAL may also be neuroprotective for AD. Further elucidation of GAL activity in selectively vulnerable brain regions will help gauge the therapeutic potential of GALR ligands for the treatment of AD.

Publication Date

1-1-2003

Publication Title

Molecular interventions

ISSN

15340384

Volume

3

Issue

3

First Page

137

Last Page

156

PubMed ID

14993421

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1124/mi.3.3.137

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