Structural and Pharmacological Investigation of the M4 Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptor as a Drug Target

The M4 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) has emerged as therapeutic target for the treatment of schizophrenia, a severe neuropsychiatric disorder that is poorly managed by current medications. Activation of the M4 mAChR offers new therapeutic possibilities for improving patient outcomes via a distinct mechanism of action. The M4 mAChR can be targeted by different classes of drugs with each class exhibiting pharmacological advantages and disadvantages. Understanding the properties of these different drugs is crucial for the design and development of improved medications. Using structural biology and molecular pharmacology approaches, this project has elucidated key mechanisms of drug action, adding valuable information in drug discovery at the M4 mAChR.