One aspect of the present invention relates to heterocyclic compounds that are ligands for nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. A second aspect of the invention relates to the use of a compound of the invention for modulation of a mammalian nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. The present invention also relates to the use of a compound of the invention for treating a mammal suffering from Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, dyskinesias, Tourette's syndrome, schizophrenia, attention deficit disorder, anxiety, pain, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, chemical substance abuse, alcoholism, memory deficit, pseudodementia, Ganser's syndrome, migraine pain, bulimia, obesity, premenstrual syndrome or late luteal phase syndrome, tobacco abuse, post-traumatic syndrome, social phobia, chronic fatigue syndrome, premature ejaculation, erectile difficulty, anorexia nervosa, disorders of sleep, autism, mutism or trichtillomania.