Nerve growth factor treatment restores [3H]QNB binding site density in adult rat subjected to cortical infarction.

The effects of unilateral cortical devascularization and nerve growth factor treatment on muscarinic cholinoceptors labelled with [ 3 H]QNB were investigated in rat cerebral cortex. The lesion induced a significant ipsilateral decrease in the density (B max ) but not in the affinity (k D ) of [ 3 H]QNB binding sites. Intraventricular infusion of 2.5 S mouse nerve growth factor (NGF) increased the density of binding sites such that B max values of lesioned animals treated with NGF were not different from control subjects