Genetic deletion of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors induces an age-dependent Alzheimer’s disease-like pathology

•α7nAChR deletion causes an impairment of hippocampal synaptic plasticity and memory in 12-month-old mice.•α7 KO mice present an age-dependent increase of Amyloid Precursor Protein expression and Aβ levels.•α7 KO mice at 12 months of age show tau pathology.•α7 KO mice at 12 months of age show hippocampal neuronal loss and an increase of GFAP-positive astrocytes.