# GM1 GANGLIOSIDE CORRECTS RAT BRAIN CHOLINERGIC DEFICITS

> **NIH NIH R01** · OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY · 1993 · $150,111

## Abstract

Aging is associated with a loss of brain neurotransmitter function.  The
loss of cholinergic neurons apparently parallels the loss of cognitive
function.  We found that IP administration of GM1 ganglioside, a normal
constituent of brain membranes, enhanced acetylcholine (ACh) content in
the striatum and choline uptake in the striatum and hippocampus of old
(22-24 month old) rats, but had no effect in young rats.  GM1
administered by intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusion also increased the
aforementioned cholinergic markers as well as increased choline
acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity in the striatum of old rats.  The
improvement of cholinergic neurochemistry was accompanied by improvement
of approach/avoidance learning in the old animals.  Nerve growth factor
(NGF) given ICV induced similar biochemical responses.  Co-administration
of NGF and GM1 appeared to be more effective than either alone for
enhancing ChAT activity in striatum.  Since GM1 and NGF induce similar
responses on cholinergic neurochemical markers in old animals, we
postulate that there may be a common link between them.  The goals of
this proposal are to:  (1) explore the consequences of administering GM1
on cholinergic parameters in the brain of aged rats; (2) investigate the
fate of the exogenously administered GM1; (3) to study whether there is
an interaction between GM1 and NGF responsive systems.  Our findings
suggest that GM1 may have significant therapeutic potential for treating
the neurochemical deficits and the loss of cognitive ability associated
with aging.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3122417
- **Project number:** 1R01AG010530-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** DLWBSLWAJWR1
- **Principal Investigator:** MARIA H NEFF
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1993
- **Award amount:** $150,111
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 1993-05-01 → 1997-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3122417

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3122417, GM1 GANGLIOSIDE CORRECTS RAT BRAIN CHOLINERGIC DEFICITS (1R01AG010530-01A1). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3122417. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*