nonAChR

NonAChR is a non-standard term used to refer to receptors that are not activated by or not part of the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) family. It is not a formal classification; rather, it serves as a descriptive shorthand in some studies to distinguish cholinergic receptors (nicotinic and muscarinic) from other receptor types.

Non-AChR encompass a broad range of neurotransmitter receptors across ionotropic and metabotropic families. Examples include GABA receptors (GABA-A and GABA-B), glycine receptors, and glutamate receptors (AMPA, NMDA, kainate), as well as receptors for biogenic amines such as adrenergic, dopamine, and serotonin receptors, and various purinergic and neuropeptide receptors. These receptors mediate diverse roles in the nervous system, including fast synaptic transmission, slower neuromodulation, and contributions to development and plasticity.

In experimental contexts, researchers may refer to nonAChR when discussing pharmacology or signaling pathways in which acetylcholine is blocked, absent, or not considered, or when contrasting the cholinergic system with other signaling systems. Because nonAChR is not a formal taxonomic group, its exact composition varies by context and species, and its interpretation relies on specifying the receptor families involved.

See also: acetylcholine receptor, nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, muscarinic acetylcholine receptor, GABA receptor, glutamate receptor, GPCR.