Nicotinic Receptor Activity Alters Synaptic Plasticity

Studies using specific agonists, antagonists, and lesions have shown that nicotinic cholinergic systems participate in attention, learning, and memory[1,2]. The nicotinic manipulations usually have the greatest influence on difficult tasks or on cognitively impaired subjects[2]. For example, Alzheimer's disease is characterized by a loss of cholinergic projections and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the cortex and hippocampus[3]. Nicotine skin patches can improve learning rates and attention in Alzheimer's patients[4].