Nicotine and nicotinic receptor involvement in neuropsychiatric disorders

Advances in the understanding of the neurobiology of the nicotinic receptor have started to be matched by an appreciation of the potential role of these receptors in a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders. While alterations in nicotinic receptor number and/or function have been associated with such conditions as Alzheimer's disease for several years, there is increasing evidence that nicotinic receptor function may play a significant role in other disorders as well including schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, anxiety disorders, and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Research in our laboratory and those of other investigators have utilized sophisticated psychopharmacological, cognitive, electrophysiological, neuroimaging and other techniques to assess the impact of nicotinic receptor modulation on the clinical expression of these disorders. This manuscript reviews data, both experimental and clinical, relating to the role of nicotine and/or nicotinic receptor function in a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders with the perspective of developing appropriate targets for therapeutic drug development.