Impact of the nicotinergic alpha7 receptor on cortical plasticity in smokers and nonsmokers

尼古丁是皮质活动和长期增强的强诱导剂和调节剂。因此，它影响学习和记忆过程以及成瘾。根据尼古丁消耗的缺陷补偿假说，吸烟和不吸烟的人对尼古丁依赖的认知改善似乎有所不同。本项目追求以下目标：(i)首先，我们将区分吸烟者和非吸烟者尼古丁引起的急性皮质兴奋性变化（与Wodarz教授合作）。（ii）我们将通过经颅直流电刺激在吸烟者和非吸烟者中诱导ltp和ltd样皮层神经可塑性变化，（iii）我们将通过功能磁共振成像（fMRI）揭示吸烟者和非吸烟者中尼古丁增强的神经可塑性与认知表现和与表现相关的大脑活动之间的相关性，（iv）神经生理和认知效应与基因定义的表型之间的相互依赖性（与教授合作）。温特，巴特拉，安德里亚斯)的吸烟者将被探索。综上所述，我们的目标是建立一个基于神经生理学的尼古丁对脑功能影响的体内模型，这将有助于在更大程度上了解尼古丁成瘾和戒断后复发的机制。

Nicotine is a strong inductor and modulator of cortical activity and long-term potentiation. Hereby it influences learning and memory processes as well as addiction. Nicotine-dependent cognitive improvements in humans seem to differ between smoking and not smoking individuals, as presumed by the deficit compensating hypothesis of nicotine consumption. This project pursues the following aims: (i) First we will differentiate acute cortical excitability shifts elicited by nicotine in smokers and non-smokers (Collaboration with Prof. Wodarz). (ii) We will induce LTPand LTD-like cortical neuroplasticity changes by transcranial direct current stimulation with and without nicotine in smokers and non-smokers, (iii) We will correlate nicotineenhanced neuroplasticity with cognitive performance and performance-related cerebral activity, as revealed by fMRI, in smokers and non-smokers, (iv) The interdependence of neurophysiological and cognitive effects with genetically defined phenotypes (collaboration with Proff. Winterer, Batra, Andreas) of smokers will be explored. In summary, we aim to develop a neurophysiology-based in vivo model of the impact of nicotine on cerebral function, which will help to understand the mechanisms of nicotine addiction and relapse after withdrawal to a greater extent.