Age-related changes in nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits alpha4 and beta2 messenger RNA expression in postmortem human frontal cortex and hippocampus.

Age-related changes in nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunit alpha4 and beta2 messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in the postmortem human frontal cortex and hippocampus was investigated using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In the frontal cortex, both alpha4 and beta2 subunit mRNA expression decreased with age. In the hippocampus, alpha4 subunit mRNA expression was unaltered, while beta2 subunit mRNA expression significantly decreased with age. These findings suggest that nAChR transcription decreases during aging with differing vulnerability between subunits and brain regions, which could in part contribute to the reduction in cognitive functions seen in the elderly.