Advances in the study of cholinergic circuits in the central nervous system

Abstract

ObjectiveFurther understanding of the function and regulatory mechanism of cholinergic neural circuits and related neurodegenerative diseases.MethodsThis review summarized the research progress of the central cholinergic nervous system, especially for the cholinergic circuit of the medial septal nucleus‐hippocampus, vertical branch of diagonal band‐hippocampus, basal nucleus of Meynert‐cerebral cortex cholinergic loop, amygdala, pedunculopontine nucleus, and striatum‐related cholinergic loops.ResultsThe extensive and complex fiber projection of cholinergic neurons form the cholinergic neural circuits, which regulate several nuclei in the brain through neurotransmission and participate in learning and memory, attention, emotion, movement, etc. The loss of cholinergic neurotransmitters, the reduction, loss, and degeneration of cholinergic neurons or abnormal theta oscillations and cholinergic neural circuits can induce cognitive disorders such as AD, PD, PDD, and DLB.InterpretationThe projection and function of cholinergic fibers in some nuclei and the precise regulatory mechanisms of cholinergic neural circuits in the brain remain unclear. Further investigation of cholinergic fiber projections in various brain regions and the underlying mechanisms of the neural circuits are expected to open up new avenues for the prevention and treatment of senile neurodegenerative diseases.

Loss of Slc39a12 in hippocampal neurons is responsible for anxiety-like behavior caused by temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis

“…The hippocampus, as a major part of the limbic system [ 15 ], plays vital roles in memory, cognition, spatial and situational processing, and emotional regulation, all of which affect mental health. Emotional abnormalities were described as associated with the disorganization of processing or changes in synaptic plasticity in hippocampus.…”

Safflower Yellow Alleviates Cognitive Impairment in Mice by Modulating Cholinergic System Function, Oxidative Stress, and CREB/BDNF/TrkB Signaling Pathway

“…Numerous studies have shown that senile plaques, amyloid-β plaques, in ammation, and oxidative stress processes can cause cognitive and memory impairments in central nervous system (Sara et al 2023; Sheppard and Coleman 2020). In addition, cholinergic neurons regulate several nuclei in the brain through neurotransmission and participate in assorted physiological activities such as learning and memory, attention, emotion, and movement, and the loss and degeneration of cholinergic neurotransmitters can induce cognitive impairment (He et al 2023). Therefore, inhibiting oxidative stress and restoring cholinergic function in the brain are therapeutic targets for preventing and treating of memory-related diseases such as AD.…”

Single-cell quantitative expression of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor mRNA in rat hippocampal interneurons

“…The pentameric nAChR appears to be assembled by various combinations of the α2-α5, α7, and β2-β4 nAChR subunits, based on our single-cell qPCR mRNA detection. The nAChRs in hippocampal interneurons are in a key position to modulate cognitive functions because interneurons play a major role in coordinating hippocampal activity, as reviewed in [9,10]. Accordingly, nAChRs have been implicated by many studies as having a major role in influencing cognition [11][12][13][14].…”