Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
27
pubmed:dateCreated
2010-7-8
pubmed:abstractText
Stimulation of the prefrontal cortex by acetylcholine is critical for attention; however, the cellular mechanisms underlying its influence on attention pathways within the brain are not well understood. Pyramidal neurons in layer VI of the prefrontal cortex are believed to play an important role in this process because they are excited by acetylcholine and provide a major source of feedback projections to the thalamus. Here, we show using whole-cell electrophysiology that the relatively rare alpha5 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor powerfully enhances nicotinic currents in layer VI pyramidal neurons in prefrontal cortical brain slices from adult mice. In addition, behavioral experiments using the five-choice serial reaction time test show that the presence of the nicotinic receptor alpha5 subunit also increases the accuracy of adult mice on this visual attention task under highly demanding conditions. Together, these findings demonstrate a novel and important role for the nicotinic receptor alpha5 subunit in adult brain circuitry required for attentional performance.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jul
pubmed:issn
1529-2401
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Electronic
pubmed:day
7
pubmed:volume
30
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
9241-52
pubmed:dateRevised
2011-1-5
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed-meshheading:20610759-Acetylcholine, pubmed-meshheading:20610759-Analysis of Variance, pubmed-meshheading:20610759-Anesthetics, Local, pubmed-meshheading:20610759-Animals, pubmed-meshheading:20610759-Attention, pubmed-meshheading:20610759-Choice Behavior, pubmed-meshheading:20610759-Cholinergic Agents, pubmed-meshheading:20610759-Dihydro-beta-Erythroidine, pubmed-meshheading:20610759-Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, pubmed-meshheading:20610759-Membrane Potentials, pubmed-meshheading:20610759-Mice, pubmed-meshheading:20610759-Mice, Inbred C57BL, pubmed-meshheading:20610759-Mice, Knockout, pubmed-meshheading:20610759-Motor Activity, pubmed-meshheading:20610759-Nerve Net, pubmed-meshheading:20610759-Neuropsychological Tests, pubmed-meshheading:20610759-Nicotine, pubmed-meshheading:20610759-Nicotinic Agonists, pubmed-meshheading:20610759-Nicotinic Antagonists, pubmed-meshheading:20610759-Patch-Clamp Techniques, pubmed-meshheading:20610759-Photic Stimulation, pubmed-meshheading:20610759-Prefrontal Cortex, pubmed-meshheading:20610759-Pyramidal Cells, pubmed-meshheading:20610759-Reaction Time, pubmed-meshheading:20610759-Receptors, Nicotinic, pubmed-meshheading:20610759-Tetrodotoxin, pubmed-meshheading:20610759-gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
pubmed:year
2010
pubmed:articleTitle
The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha5 subunit plays a key role in attention circuitry and accuracy.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, In Vitro, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't