concept

acetylcholine

Also known as: ACh

Facts (10)

Sources

Rusty Gage, PhD - Salk Institute salk.edu Salk Institute 4 facts

referenceCells engineered to produce acetylcholine have therapeutic potential for Alzheimer's disease, according to Hammond, R.R., Gage, F.H., and Terry, R.D. in 1993.

referenceNeocortical acetylcholine plays an essential role in spatial memory, as established in a 1995 study by Winkler et al. published in Nature.

referenceSchinstine, Rosenberg, Routledge-Ward, Friedmann, and Gage examined the effects of choline and quiescence on Drosophila choline acetyltransferase expression and acetylcholine production by transduced rat fibroblasts in a 1992 study.

referencePrimary fibroblasts genetically modified to express choline acetyltransferase can produce and release acetylcholine in vivo, as reported by Fisher, L.J., Raymon, H.K., and Gage, F.H. in 1993.

Physiology, Sleep Stages - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf - NIH ncbi.nlm.nih.gov National Library of Medicine 3 facts

measurementCortical acetylcholine (ACh) release is highest during waking and REM sleep and lowest during NREM sleep.

claimREM sleep is characterized by dreaming, nightmares, penile or clitoral tumescence, irregular muscle movements, rapid eye movements, loss of motor tone, increased brain oxygen use, increased and variable pulse and blood pressure, and increased levels of acetylcholine (ACh).

claimAcetylcholine, dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, histamine, and hypocretin peptides function together to maintain the waking state in the human body.

Medicinal plants and human health: a comprehensive review of ... link.springer.com Springer Nov 5, 2025 1 fact

claimThe mechanism of cholinesterase inhibition by alkaloids involves reversible attachment to the enzyme's active region, which inhibits acetylcholine breakdown and extends neurotransmitter availability.

Effects of psychedelics on neurogenesis and broader neuroplasticity link.springer.com Springer Dec 19, 2024 1 fact

claimPsychoactive tryptamines act as potent 5-HT2A agonists and often demonstrate affinity for 5-HT1 and other 5-HT2 receptors, as well as potential interactions with ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors, dopamine, acetylcholine, and trace amine-associated receptors (TAAR) (Carbonaro and Gatch 2016).

The Mechanisms of Psychedelic Visionary Experiences - Frontiers frontiersin.org Frontiers Sep 27, 2017 1 fact

claimPsychedelics affect a variety of neurotransmitters, including serotonin, acetylcholine, norepinephrine, and dopamine.