Skip to main content
. 2012 Aug 3;5:83. doi: 10.3389/fnmol.2012.00083

Table 1.

nAChRs modulate synaptic transmission in the mesolimbic system.

Location nAChR subtype Agonist Outcome Mechanism References
Ventral tegmental area α7 on presynaptic glutamatergic neurons Nicotine

  1. ↑ Dopamine (DA) release in the nucleus accumbens

  2. Promotes long-term potentiation (LTP)

  1. ↑ glutamate release onto NMDARs located on DAergic cell bodies

  2. ↑ frequency of spontaneous postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs)

 Mansvelder and McGehee, 2000; Schilstrom et al., 2000; Pidoplichko et al., 2004
Nucleus accumbens Nicotine ↑ dendritic length and branches Brown and Kolb, 2001; McDonald et al., 2007
Prefrontal cortex Activation of nAChRs on soma of GABAergic interneurons Nicotine ↑ threshold for induction of spike-timing-dependent plasticity

  1. ↑ GABAergic inputs to PFC layer 5 pyramidal neurons

  2. ↑ inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs)

  3. Reduces post-synaptic Ca2+ signals

 Couey et al., 2007
Activation of nAChRs on glutamatergic terminals Nicotine ↑ threshold for induction of spike-timing-dependent plasticity

  1. ↑ glutamate release onto fast spiking interneurons

  2. ↑ GABAergic inputs to PFC layer 5 pyramidal neurons

  3. ↑ IPSCs

  4. Reduces post-synaptic Ca2+ signals

 Couey et al., 2007
Nicotine ↑ dendritic length and branches Brown and Kolb, 2001