Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors desensitization

Gentry CL, Lukas RJ (2002) Regulation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor numbers and function by chronic nicotine exposure. Curr Drug Targets CNS Neurol Disord 1 359-385 Gerzanich V, Wang F, Kuryatov A, Lindstrom J (1998) Alpha 5 subunit alters desensitization, pharmacology, Ca++ permeability and Ca++ modulation of human neuronal alpha 3 nicotinic receptors. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 286 311-320... 

Pich EM, Paghusi SR, Tessari M, Talabot-Ayer D, Hooft v H, Chiamulera C (1997) Common neural substrates for the addictive properties of nicotine and cocaine. Science 275 83-86 PidopUchko VI, DeBiasi M, Williams JT, Dani JA (1997) Nicotine Activates and Desensitizes Midbrain Dopamine Neurons. Nature 390 401 04 PietUa K, Ahtee L (2000) Chronic nicotine administration in the drinking water affects the striatal dopamine in mice. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 66 95-103 Puttfarcken PS, Jacobs I, Faltynek CR (2000) Characterization of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor-mediated [ H]-dopamine release from rat cortex and striatum. Neuropharmacology 39 2673-2680... 

Fenster CP, Rains MF, Noerager B, Quick MW, Lester RAJ (1997) Influence of subunit composition on desensitization of neuronal acetylcholine receptors at low concentrations of nicotine. J Neurosci 17 5747-5759... 

Unlike the muscarinic receptors, repeated exposure of the neuronal receptors to nicotine, both in vivo and in vitro, results in an increase in the number of receptors similar changes are reported to occur after physostigmine is administered directly into the cerebral ventricles of rats. These changes in the density of the nicotinic receptors are accompanied by an increased release of acetylcholine. Following the chronic administration of physostigmine, however, a desensitization of the receptors occurs. Functionally nicotinic receptors appear to be involved in memory formation in clinical studies it has been shown that nicotine can reverse the effects of scopolamine on short-term working memory and both... 

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