Using human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells, we found that the neuroprotective function of CHRNA7 is blocked by CHRNA7 knockdown using RNA interference. [...] Furthermore, activation of CHRNA7 is neuroprotective both in vitro (Martin et al., 2004 Qi et al., 2007) and in vivo (Di Cesare Mannelli et al., 2014 Liu et al., 2012).;These findings indicate that alpha7 nAChR may play a significant neuroprotective role by enhancing cleavage of APP by alpha-secretase, regulating signal transduction, improving antioxidant defenses and inhibiting the toxicity of Abeta, which is connected with the pathogenesis of AD