CHRNA7 and neurodegenerative disease: A key finding over the years has been the role of α7-nAChRs in neuronal survival (Mechawar et al. 2004; Berger et al. 1998; Roy et al. 1998; Pugh and Margiotta, 2000; Dajas-Bailador et al. 2000) increasing the plausibility of a role for these receptors in neurodegenerative diseases.