Using the same T2DM rat model, our previous study has demonstrated that decreases in N-type Ca2+ channels and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) located on CPP neurons contribute to T2DM-attenuated cell excitability of CPP neurons and cardiac vagal activity (Liu et al., 2012, 2015). Here, CHRNA4 is linked to type 2 diabetes mellitus.