Journal of neural transmission
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Review
Nicotinic receptors and cognition in Parkinson's Disease: the importance of neuronal synchrony.
Parkinson's Disease (PD) is associated with cognitive deficits. The earliest impairment is evident for executive abilities, visuospatial orientation and memory. Dopamine deficiency is unlikely to be singly responsible for all cognitive changes in PD. ⋯ We summarize anatomical, physiological and pharmacological aspects of nicotinic receptor function. The focus is on those nicotine receptor dependent cognitive dysfunctions which are likely to contribute to motor impairment. Lastly, we discuss hypotheses concerning cholinergic involvement in neuronal synchrony and sensorimotor integration in PD.