Progressive loss of basal forebrain cholinergic cells, marked by reduced cholinergic acetyltransferase (ChAT) levels [1,2], acetylcholinesterase activity [2-4] and p75NTR receptor expression [5], occurs in aging, dementia and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) [6,7]. This evidence concerns the gene ACHE and Alzheimer disease.