Distribution of acetylcholine receptors in the brain

There are two main types of cholinergic receptors widely distributed throughout the brain. These receptors are classified as muscarinic and nicotinic receptors. In certain regions of the brain only the muscarinic subtype is found eg midbrain, medulla, and pons while in other regions eg substantia nigra, locus coeruleus and septum only the nicotinic receptor subtype is found. Both sub-types are located in the corpus striatum, cerebral cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus and cerebellum.

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References

Molecular biology, pharmacology and brain distribution of sub-types of the muscarinic receptor. The American College of Neuropsychopharmacology. www.acnp.org/g4/GN401000010/CH010.html Accessed on 18 January 2011.

Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors: novel targets for CNS therapeutics. The American College of Neuropsychopharmacology. www.acnp.org/G4/GN401000009/CH009.html Accessed on 18 January 2011.