Efectos neurotóxicos del cadmio sobre las neuronas colinérgicas del prosencéfalo basal y su implicación en la inducción de alteraciones cognitivas

Résumé

Cadmium (Cd) is a neurotoxic compound that produces cognitive dysfunctions, although themechanisms involved are unknown. The learning and memory processes are regulated by thecholinergic system of the basal forebrain, therefore blockade of cholinergic transmission ordeath of cholinergic neurons in this region could be related to the deterioration of cadmiuminducedmemory. In this sense, it has been described in other brain regions that cadmium blockscholinergic transmission through the reduction of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity andin turn blocks muscarinic receptors which may, in addition to participating in cholinergictransmission, participate in the maintenance of neuronal viability, specifically the muscarinicM1receptor (M1R). It has also been reported to induce selective killing of cholinergic neuronsat the peripheral level...