This study investigated how chronic perinatal reduction of nerve growth factor (NGF) affected brain cholinergic markers in the two sexes. Rats received anti-NGF on postnatal days (PNDs) 2-12, and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity was measured on PND 16. Anti-NGF signficantly reduced cortical ChAT activity in males, but not in females; no sex-dependent effects were found in hippocampus or striatum. These data suggest sexual dimorphism in cholinergic responsiveness to NGF.