Basal Forebrain Mediated Increase in Brain CRF is Associated with Increased Cholinergic Tone and Depression

Cholinergic innervation of the cerebral cortex, the hippocampus, amygdala, and olfactory bulb originates from the basal forebrain area, an area of the brain characterized as a network of cholinergic neurons distinguishable by four cell groups (Mesulam et al., 1983a, 1983b). The basal forebrain is comprised of (1) the septal area which provides a projection into the hippocampus with 10% of its neurons presenting as cholinergic; (2) the diagonal band nucleus, comprised of ~70% cholinergic neurons; (3) the horizontal nucleus of the diagonal band, with ~1% cholinergic neurons, and finally, (4) the nucleus basalis of Meynert, comprised of ~90% cholinergic neurons.

Source: Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging - April 23, 2017 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Jackie K. Gollan, Hongxin Dong, Davide Bruno, Jay Nierenberg, Jos é N. Nobrega, Michel J. Grothe, Bruce G. Pollock, Charles R. Marmar, Stefan Teipel, John G. Csernansky, Nunzio Pomara Source Type: research