Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors as CNS drug targets

Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) are widely expressed in the CNS where they control a variety of neuronal functions. Due to their roles in a number of CNS processes, mAChRs have long been a target of the drug discovery industry; however, the only mAChR ligands approved for use in the clinic are non-selective antagonists for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. This article briefly reviews recent progress made in mAChR drug discovery for Alzheimer's disease (AD), schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease, with particular emphasis on novel target validation, as well as highlighting novel indications such as drug addiction.