Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor β2-subunits in the medial prefrontal cortex control attention

K. Guillem; B. Bloem; R.B. Poorthuis; M. Loos; A.B. Smit; U. Maskos; S. Spijker; H.D. Mansvelder

doi:10.1126/science.1207079

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor β2-subunits in the medial prefrontal cortex control attention

K. Guillem, B. Bloem, R.B. Poorthuis, M. Loos, A.B. Smit, U. Maskos, S. Spijker, H.D. Mansvelder

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

More than one-third of all people are estimated to experience mild to severe cognitive impairment as they age. Acetylcholine (ACh) levels in the brain diminish with aging, and nicotinic ACh receptor (nAChR) stimulation is known to enhance cognitive performance. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is involved in a range of cognitive functions and is thought to mediate attentional focus. We found that mice carrying nAChR β2-subunit deletions have impaired attention performance. Efficient lentiviral vector-mediated reexpression of functional β2-subunit-containing nAChRs in PFC neurons of the prelimbic area (PrL) completely restored the attentional deficit but did not affect impulsive and motivational behavior. Our findings show that β2-subunit expression in the PrL PFC is sufficient for endogenous nAChR-mediated cholinergic regulation of attentional performance.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	888-891
Number of pages	3
Journal	Science
Volume	333
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1207079
Publication status	Published - 2011

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title = "Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor β2-subunits in the medial prefrontal cortex control attention",

abstract = "More than one-third of all people are estimated to experience mild to severe cognitive impairment as they age. Acetylcholine (ACh) levels in the brain diminish with aging, and nicotinic ACh receptor (nAChR) stimulation is known to enhance cognitive performance. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is involved in a range of cognitive functions and is thought to mediate attentional focus. We found that mice carrying nAChR β2-subunit deletions have impaired attention performance. Efficient lentiviral vector-mediated reexpression of functional β2-subunit-containing nAChRs in PFC neurons of the prelimbic area (PrL) completely restored the attentional deficit but did not affect impulsive and motivational behavior. Our findings show that β2-subunit expression in the PrL PFC is sufficient for endogenous nAChR-mediated cholinergic regulation of attentional performance.",

author = "K. Guillem and B. Bloem and R.B. Poorthuis and M. Loos and A.B. Smit and U. Maskos and S. Spijker and H.D. Mansvelder",

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doi = "10.1126/science.1207079",

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T1 - Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor β2-subunits in the medial prefrontal cortex control attention

AU - Guillem, K.

AU - Bloem, B.

AU - Poorthuis, R.B.

AU - Loos, M.

AU - Smit, A.B.

AU - Maskos, U.

AU - Spijker, S.

AU - Mansvelder, H.D.

PY - 2011

Y1 - 2011

N2 - More than one-third of all people are estimated to experience mild to severe cognitive impairment as they age. Acetylcholine (ACh) levels in the brain diminish with aging, and nicotinic ACh receptor (nAChR) stimulation is known to enhance cognitive performance. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is involved in a range of cognitive functions and is thought to mediate attentional focus. We found that mice carrying nAChR β2-subunit deletions have impaired attention performance. Efficient lentiviral vector-mediated reexpression of functional β2-subunit-containing nAChRs in PFC neurons of the prelimbic area (PrL) completely restored the attentional deficit but did not affect impulsive and motivational behavior. Our findings show that β2-subunit expression in the PrL PFC is sufficient for endogenous nAChR-mediated cholinergic regulation of attentional performance.

AB - More than one-third of all people are estimated to experience mild to severe cognitive impairment as they age. Acetylcholine (ACh) levels in the brain diminish with aging, and nicotinic ACh receptor (nAChR) stimulation is known to enhance cognitive performance. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is involved in a range of cognitive functions and is thought to mediate attentional focus. We found that mice carrying nAChR β2-subunit deletions have impaired attention performance. Efficient lentiviral vector-mediated reexpression of functional β2-subunit-containing nAChRs in PFC neurons of the prelimbic area (PrL) completely restored the attentional deficit but did not affect impulsive and motivational behavior. Our findings show that β2-subunit expression in the PrL PFC is sufficient for endogenous nAChR-mediated cholinergic regulation of attentional performance.

U2 - 10.1126/science.1207079

DO - 10.1126/science.1207079

M3 - Article

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VL - 333

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ER -

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor β2-subunits in the medial prefrontal cortex control attention

Abstract

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