Neuronal Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors: Novel Targets for CNS Therapeutics / Table 1

TABLE 1. Autoradiographic and in situ hybridization analysis of the distribution of nicotinic binding sites and mRNA in rat brain^a,b

Ligand Binding

Subunit mRNA Distribution

Region	Nicotine	a-Bgt	a2	a3	a4	a5	a6	a7	b2	b3	b4
Forebrain
Cortex	+++	++	-	+	++	+	-	+	++	-	(+)
Hippocampus	+	+++	(+)	+	+	+	-	+++	++	-	+
Thalamus	+++	-	-	+	+++	-	+	-	++	++	+++
Hypothalamus	+	+++	-	-	+	-	-	-	+	-	-
Striatum	++	-	-	(+)	-	-	-	-	+	-	(+)
Septum	++	+	-	-	+	-	-	+	+	-	(+)
Brainstem
Motor Nuclei	++	+	-	++	+	+	-	-	++	-	+
SN	++	-	-	++	++	++	+++	-	++	+++	(+)
LC	++	++	-	++	-	-	+++	-	++	+++	++
IPN	+++	++	++	+++	+	++	+	(+)	++	+	++
Cerebellum	++	(+)	-	+	-	+	-	-	+	+	+

^aData for autoradiographic studies were derived from reference [17]; in situ hybridization data were derived from references [44,87]. Note that the relative abundance within a given subunit is internally consistent but may not translate across subunits.

^bKey: -, not detectable; (+), very weak signal; +, weak signal; ++, moderate signal; +++, strong signal; IPN, interpeduncular nucleus; LC, locus coeruleus; SN, substantia nigra.

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