posterior ventral tegmental area (pVTA) neurons express higher levels of α4 (as well as α6 and β3) transcripts than anterior VTA neurons (Zhao-Shea et al. 2011). Infusion of α-conotoxin MII into the VTA blocked activation of pVTA dopaminergic neurons in wild-type and α4* Leu9’Ala knock-in mice, indicating that nicotine selectively activates dopaminergic neurons within the pVTA through α4α6* nAChRs (Zhao-Shea et al. 2011).
