Do tetrahydroaminoacridine (THA) and physostigmine restore acetylcholine release in Alzheimer brains via nicotinic receptors

In the presence of 9-amino-1, 2, 3,4-tetrahydroacridine (THA) 10−4M or physostigmine 10−4 M, the in vitro3H-Acetylcholine (3H-ACh) release from control cortical slices was significantly reduced. In contrast, THA 10−4 M and physostigmine 10−4 M significantly increased the release of3H-ACh in AD/SDAT brain tissue. This facilitating effect on3H-ACh release was partially blocked (50%) in the presence of the nicotinic antagonist d-tubocurarine 10−6 M indicating a possible interaction via nicotinic receptors. The muscarinic antagonist atropine 10−5 M significantly increased the3H-ACh release both in control and AD/SDAT brains, thus indicating preservation of muscarinic autoreceptors in the AD/SDAT cortical tissue. In receptor competition studies with3H-nicotine,3H-ACh and3H-quinuclidinyl benzilate (3H-QNB) as receptor ligands, THA interfered with both nicotinic and muscarinic receptor ligand binding, while physostigmine had much less effect.