CHRNA6

Cholinergic receptor, nicotinic, alpha 6, also known as CHRNA6, is a human is_associated_with::gene, which codes for the α6 subunit found in certain types of is_associated_with::nicotinic acetylcholine receptors found primarily in the brain. Neural nicotinic acetylcholine receptors containing α6 subunits are expressed on is_associated_with::dopamine-releasing neurons in the midbrain, and dopamine release following activation of these neurons is thought to be involved in the addictive properties of is_associated_with::nicotine. Due to their selective localisation on dopaminergic neurons, α6-containing nACh receptors have also been suggested as a possible therapeutic target for the treatment of is_associated_with::Parkinson's disease.