Distribution of acetylcholine receptors in the Alzheimer’s disease brain

There are two main types of cholinergic receptors widely distributed throughout in the brain; the muscarinic and nicotinic receptors. In certain regions of the brain (eg midbrain, medulla, and pons) only the muscarinic subtype is found while in other regions (eg substantia nigra, locus coeruleus and septum) only the nicotinic receptor subtype is found. Both subtypes are colocalised in the corpus striatum, cerebral cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus and cerebellum. Alzheimer’s disease is associated with a reduction of all cholinergic neurones in the subcortical areas of the brain, leading to reduced availability of acetylcholine.

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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 21 February 2002.

Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors: novel targets for CNS therapeutics. The American College of Neuropsychopharmacology. www.acnp.org/G4/GN401000009/CH009.html Accessed on 21 February 2002.

Neurotransmitters and psychiatric disorders. In: Psychiatric disorders with a biochemical basis. Donaldson D. New York, USA: Parthenon Publishing group, 1998:45–54.