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The Role of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors in Cognitive Function

  • Chapter
Neuronal Nicotinic Receptors

Part of the book series: Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology ((HEP,volume 144))

Abstract

Nicotine delivery via either cigarette smoking, nicotine injections, or transdermal nicotine patches has been shown in a variety of studies to improve cognitive function including attention, learning, and memory. Nicotine and other nicotinic drugs have been found to improve cognitive function in humans as well as experimental animal subjects (BRIONI et al. 1997; DECKER et al. 1995; LEVIN 1992, 1996; LEVIN and SIMON 1998). Like any drug effect, nicotinic actions on cognitive function are limited and some studies have not found nicotine-induced improvement (for a review, see HEISHMAN et al. 1994). The specific nature of the expression of nicotine-induced cognitive improvement gives insight into the critical neural systems involved. This research is vital for the further development of nicotinic-based therapeutics for cognitive dysfunction.

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  1. E. D. Levin
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  1. Università degli Studi di Milano Dipartimento di Farmacologia, Chemoterapia e Tossicologia Medica “Emilio Trabucchi”, Via Vanvitelli, 32, 20129, Milano, Italy

    Francesco Clementi , Diego Fornasari  & Cecilia Gotti ,  & 

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Levin, E.D. (2000). The Role of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors in Cognitive Function. In: Clementi, F., Fornasari, D., Gotti, C. (eds) Neuronal Nicotinic Receptors. Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology, vol 144. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-57079-7_23

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-57079-7_23

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