Abstract: ObjectiveTo study the change of cholinergic neurons of hippocampus of vascular dementia rats after transplantation of the neural stem cells(NSCs) in hippocampus.MethodsAfter the vascular dementia model was reproduced,the rats were randomly divided into transplantation,dementia and pseudo-operative groups.8 weeks after operation,immunofluorescence was used to observe the survivors and migration of neural stem cells.Immunochemistry staining was used to observe the number of ChAT positive neurons in hippocampus.ResultsThe number of the ChAT positive neurons in the CA1 subfield of the hippocampus were more significantly increased in transplantation group than that in dementia group. ConclusionChAT positive neurons can be found in hippocampus area of vascular dementia rats after transplanting NSCs into the hippocampus, which seem to be cholinergic neurons.

Key words: neural stem cells, transplantation, vascular dementia, hippocampus, cholinergic neurons, rats