Over the years, experimental and clinical evidence has given support to the idea that acetylcholine (Ach) plays an essential role in mnemonic phenomena. On the other hand, the Hippocampus is already known to have a key role in learning and memory. What is yet unclear is how the Ach receptors may contribute to this brain region role during memory retrieval.

The Ach receptors are divided into two broad subtypes: the ionotropic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and the metabotropic muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. Back in 2010, we demonstrated for the first time the critical role of hippocampal α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in memory reconsolidation process of an inhibitory avoidance response in mice. In the present work, we further investigate the possible implication of hippocampal muscarinic Ach receptors (mAchRs) in this process using a pharmacological approach. By specifically administrating agonists and antagonists of the different mAchRs subtypes in the hippocampus, we found that M1 and M2 but not M3 subtype may be involved in memory reconsolidation processes in mice.

多年来，实验和临床证据支持乙酰胆碱 (Ach) 在助记现象中起重要作用的观点。另一方面，众所周知，海马体在学习和记忆中起着关键作用。目前尚不清楚的是，Ach 受体如何在记忆检索过程中发挥这种大脑区域的作用。

Ach 受体分为两大亚型：离子型烟碱型乙酰胆碱受体和代谢型毒蕈碱型乙酰胆碱受体。早在 2010 年，我们就首次证明了海马 α7 烟碱乙酰胆碱受体在小鼠抑制性回避反应的记忆再巩固过程中的关键作用。在目前的工作中，我们使用药理学方法进一步研究了海马毒蕈碱 Ach 受体 (mChRs) 在该过程中的可能影响。通过在海马中专门施用不同 mAchRs 亚型的激动剂和拮抗剂，我们发现 M1 和 M2 而非 M3 亚型可能参与小鼠的记忆再巩固过程。