acetylcholine receptors

Targeting thalamic circuits rescues motor and mood deficits in PD mice

Although bradykinesia, tremor, and rigidity are hallmark motor defects in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients, they also experience motor learning impairments and non-motor symptoms such as depression. The neural basis for these different PD symptoms are not well understood. While current treatments are effective for locomotion deficits in PD, therapeutic strategies targeting motor learning deficits and non-motor symptoms are lacking. We found that distinct parafascicular (PF) thalamic subpopulations project to caudate putamen (CPu), subthalamic nucleus (STN), and nucleus accumbens (NAc). While PF-->CPu and PF-->STN circuits are critical for locomotion and motor learning respectively, inhibition of the PF-->NAc circuit induced a depression-like state. While chemogenetically manipulating CPu-projecting PF neurons led to a long-term restoration of locomotion, optogenetic long-term potentiation at PF-->STN synapses restored motor learning behavior in PD model mice. Furthermore, activation of NAc-projecting PF neurons rescued depression-like PD phenotypes. Importantly, we identified nicotinic acetylcholine receptors capable of modulating PF circuits to rescue different PD phenotypes. Thus, targeting PF thalamic circuits may be an effective strategy for treating motor and non-motor deficits in PD.

Cholinergic modulation of the cerebellum

Many studies have investigated the major glutamatergic inputs to the cerebellum, mossy fibres and climbing fibres, however far less is known about its neuromodulatory inputs. In particular, anatomical studies have described cholinergic input to the cerebellum, yet little is known about its role(s). In this talk, I will present our recent findings which demonstrate that manipulating acetylcholine receptors in the cerebellum causes effects at both a cellular and behavioural level. Activating acetylcholine receptors alters the intrinsic properties and synaptic inputs of cerebellar output neurons, and blocking these receptors results in deficits in a range of behavioural tasks.

Assessing the role of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in executive function using touchscreen technology in rat models

Role of postsynaptic β2-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in striatal circuits and related behavior

α5-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are important modulators of aggressive and dominant-like behaviors in rodents and humans

FENS Forum 2024

Expression and function of beta2-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in specific neuronal populations in the prefrontal cortex

FENS Forum 2024

Investigating the role of α5 containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in eating disorders

FENS Forum 2024

Neuroprotective and antioxidant effects of oxotremorine‑M, a non‑selective muscarinic acetylcholine receptors agonist, in a cellular model of Alzheimer disease

FENS Forum 2024

Role of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors expressed by cholinergic interneurons in the control of striatal activity

FENS Forum 2024

Unravelling the role of prefrontal α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in inhibitory control in physiological and pathological contexts: A behavioral investigation using touchscreen technology

FENS Forum 2024