Alpha-7 Nicotinic Receptors in Nervous System Disorders: From Function to Therapeutic Perspectives
The ?7 nicotinic receptor consists of identical subunits and is one of the most abundant acetylcholine receptor in the mammalian central nervous system. However its expression is also found in the peripheral nervous system as well as in the immune system and various peripheral tissues. It is involved in the regulation of several activities ranging from excitatory neurotransmission and the modulation of the release of several neurotransmitters, regulation of neurite outgrowth, and even neuronal survival/death.