A neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, expressed recombinantly in a host cell, said receptor having the ability to bind acetylcholine, in the presence or absence of .alpha.-bungarotoxin, and having the ability to effect membrane depolarization of said host cell, said receptor comprising at least one agonist binding subunit and at least one non-agonist binding subunit, wherein said agonist binding subunit is selected from the group consisting of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits alpha2, alpha3, alpha4, and alpha5, and said non-agonist binding subunit is selected from the group consisting of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits beta2, beta3, and beta4, provided, however, that when the agonist binding subunit is alpha4, the non-agonist binding subunit is not beta2.