Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor dysfunction in addiction and in some neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases

Abstract: The cholinergic system plays an essential role in brain development, physiology, and pathophysiology. Herein, we review how specific alterations in this system, through genetic mutations or abnormal receptor function, can lead to aberrant neural circuitry that triggers disease. The review focuses on the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) and its role in addiction and in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases and epilepsy. Cholinergic dysfunction is associated with inflammatory processes mainly through the involvement of α7 nAChRs expressed in brain and in peripheral immune cells. Evidence suggests that these neuroinflammatory processes trigger and aggravate pathological states. We discuss the preclinical evidence demonstrating the therapeutic potential of nAChR ligands in Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, and in autosomal dominant sleep-related hypermotor epilepsy. PubMed and Google Scholar bibliographic databases were searched with the keywords indicated below.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Vallés, Ana Sofía, Barrantes, Francisco José
Format:	Artículo biblioteca
Language:	eng
Published:	Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute 2023
Subjects:	ENFERMEDAD DE ALZHEIMER, ENFERMEDAD DE PARKINSON, EPILEPSIA, ESPECTRO DE ESQUIZOFRENIA, ADICCIONES, SALUD, ENFERMEDADES,
Online Access:	https://repositorio.uca.edu.ar/handle/123456789/16987
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