The cholinergic mesopontine tegmentum is a relatively neglected nicotinic master modulator of the dopaminergic system: relevance to drugs of abuse and pathology.

Uwe Maskos (1)

1 NISC - Neurobiologie intégrative des Systèmes cholinergiques

The mammalian mesopontine tegmentum (MPT) contains two cholinergic nuclei, the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg) and the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDTg). These provide the cholinergic innervation of, among other brain areas, the dopaminergic A9 and A10 cell groups. Their axons are thus the source of endogenous acetylcholine (ACh) acting on somato-dendritic acetylcholine receptors in the substantia nigra (SN) and ventral tegmental area (VTA). The anatomy, physiology, functional and pathological implications of these interactions with the nicotinic subtype of acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are discussed with a view of the important role of the MPT as a master regulator of nicotinic dopaminergic signalling in the brain, including for nicotine addiction.

Mots clés: nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR); substantia nigra; ventral tegmental area; dopaminergic (DA) cell; acetylcholine (ACh); nicotine; mecamylamine; dihydro-β-erythroidine; γ-aminobutyrate (GABA); acetylcholine esterase

Domaines: Sciences cognitives; Sciences du Vivant [q-bio]; Neurosciences

Uwe Maskos. The cholinergic mesopontine tegmentum is a relatively neglected nicotinic master modulator of the dopaminergic system: relevance to drugs of abuse and pathology.. British Journal of Pharmacology, 2008, Special Issue: Life Sciences 153 (S1), pp.S438-45. ⟨10.1038/bjp.2008.5⟩. ⟨pasteur-01573865⟩