The present invention concerns methods for treating or preventing neurological disorders characterized by dysfunction of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors by administering 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-4-yl heptanoate (TMPH), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, to the patient. In another aspect, the present invention pertains to pharmaceutical compositions containing TMPH, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. In another aspect, the present invention pertains to methods for selectively inhibiting nicotinic acetylcholine receptors that lack an .alpha.5, .alpha.6, or .beta.3 subunit by contacting an effective amount of TMPH, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, to the receptor. The method for selectively inhibiting nicotinic acethylcholine receptors that lack an .alpha.5 subunit can be carried out in vivo or in vitro.