Involvement of α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in working memory impairment induced by repeated electroconvulsive seizures in rats.

A role of cholinergic nervous system in the behavioral impairments induced by repeated ECS is not understood. The α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonist ABT-418, but not the α7 nAChR agonist, significantly ameliorated the impairment of spontaneous alternation behavior in the Y-maze test. And, repeated ECS caused a reduction of α4 nAChR-positive cells in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Thus, the α4β2 nAChR is related to ECS-induced deficits in rats.