Cholinergic synapses of the associative temporal area of the neocortex in the realization of cognitive functions.

The activity of choline acetyltransferase in the subsynaptic fractions of light and heavy synaptosomes of the associative temporal areas of the neocortex of cats with varying capacities for the formation of preverbal concepts was investigated. With respect to the majority of the subfractions, differences were detected between animals with normal and decreased intellect. Some theoretical conclusions were drawn relative to the origin of the individual subfractions; the role of cholinergic synapses of the area in question in the realization of the function of generalization and abstraction is discussed.