Sensitivity of Fischer 344 x brown Norway hybrid rats to exogenous NGF: weight loss correlates with stimulation of striatal choline acetyltransferase.

Nerve growth factor (NGF) infusion into normal Fischer 344 x Brown Norway (F344/BN) hybrid male rats for 2 weeks resulted in a dose-dependent stimulation of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) enzyme activity to 70% above control values in both the basal forebrain and striatum, and a statistically significant 10% loss in animal weight. There was a significant correlation between weight gain and stimulation of striatal ChAT activity, but not with stimulation of basal forebrain ChAT. Thus, unlike some other rat strains, the normal F344/BN rat is sensitive to exogenous NGF, and can be used to study the efficacy of NGF on normal central cholinergic neurons. The NGF effect on weight gain may be mediated by cholinergic stimulation of the nucleus accumbens.