Nicotine an efficient tool of the neurobiological research today, the tool of treatment tomorrow?

Abstract

Nicotine is a very widely used drug of abuse, which has many neurovegetative behavioural and psychological effects by interacting with neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. Cholinergic receptors can be divided into two types, muscarinic and nicotinic, based on the pharmacological action of various agonists and antagonists. This review summarises the major recent findings of nicotine effects in order to show the use of this drug in the neurophysiological research and namely as a potential tool for the treatment of some brain disorders.