Nicotinic receptors and hippocampal synaptic plasticity ... it's all in the timing.

As we learn more about the functional expression of nicotinic receptors in specific brain regions such as the hippocampus, intriguing interactions are being uncovered at the cellular and circuit levels. Recent work from John Dani's laboratory provides important insights into how nicotinic receptors can modify hippocampal synaptic plasticity in both positive and negative ways, and this could help explain the role of nicotinic receptors in learning and memory.