Effect of Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus infection on brain choline acetyltransferase and acetylcholinesterase activities.

Mice and rats infected with the Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus showed a significant decrease in the choline acetyltransferase activity of caudate nucleus, hypothalamus, midbrain, hippocampus and frontal cortex. Acetylcholinesterase activity was not affected in any of the same brain regions analyzed. In surviving rats no alterations were observed in the activities of choline acetyltransferase, tyrosine hydroxylase, and glutamate decarboxylase 3 months after the infection.