Link to Pubmed [PMID] – 32591156
Link to DOI – S0166-2236(20)30125-910.1016/j.tins.2020.06.001
Trends Neurosci 2020 08; 43(8): 550-564
Recent studies provided strong evidence that deficits in cholinergic signaling cause disorders of cognition and affect conscious processing. Technical advances that combine molecular approaches, in vivo recordings in awake behaving animals, human brain imaging, and genetics have strengthened our understanding of the roles of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the modulation of cognitive behavior and network dynamics. Here, we review the emergent role of nAChRs in high-order cognitive processes and discuss recent work implicating cholinergic circuits in cognitive control, including conscious processing.