Consistent deficits in the cholinergic system are evident in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, including selective loss of α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the brains of AD patients. Knockout mice for the β2 subunit have impaired neuronal survival in ageing. Accordingly, we have analysed polymorphisms in the genes that encode the α4 and β2 subunits, CHRNA4 and CHRNB2 respectively, for genetic associations with late-onset AD. A significant association for disease was observed for a non-coding polymorphism in CHRNB2 (odds ratio=0.57, 95% confidence interval=0.35–0.95, P=0.024). Replication analysis was performed in two further sample sets. While these did not individually yield significant results, a significant association remained when all samples were pooled (odds ratio=0.70, 95% confidence interval=0.52–0.95, P=0.019). These data suggest that this variant warrants further examination in large case-control series.