Cholinergic agonists targets

Assignment of functions as derived from studies in gene-targeted mice. For references, see text. Symbols If increased function, JJ. reduced function in receptor-deficient mice, 0 function absent, = normal function. Agonist refers to cholinergic agonist. 

Friedman J. Cholinergic targets for cognitive enhancement in schizophrenia focus on cholinesterase inhibitors and muscarinic agonists. Psychopharmacology 2004 174 45-53. 

Cyanobacterial neurotoxins primarily target cholinergic synapses or voltagegated ion channels. For example, anatoxin-a and homoanatoxin-a are nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists [1-3], while anatoxin-a(s) irreversibly inhibits acetylcholinesterase activity [4, 5]. The saxitoxins, on the other hand, exert their toxicity via the inhibition of voltage-gated sodium, calcium, and potassium channels [6-8]. Despite their different modes of action, when ingested in acute doses, the alkaloid neurotoxins impart similar symptoms of paralysis and respiratory failure. 

---