title: A choreography of nicotinic receptors directs the dopamine neuron routine.
abstract: Modulation of the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system by nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) is thought to play an important role in both health and addiction. However, a clear understanding of how these receptors regulate in vivo firing activity has been elusive. In this issue of Neuron, Mameli-Engvall and colleagues report an impressive and thought-provoking series of in vivo experiments combining single-unit recordings from dopamine neurons with nAChR subunit deletions and region-specific lentiviral subunit re-expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, United Kingdom. mark.ungless@csc.mrc.ac.uk
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ungless
authors.forename: Stephanie J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Cragg
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D004298:Dopamine