5 Things You Need to Know About Acetylcholine

1. The Excitatory Neurotransmitter

Acetylcholine is an excitatory neurotransmitter that conducts electrical impulses through a series of actions, making it possible for nerve cells to communicate with muscle cells and generate muscle contractions. Once released from a nerve terminal, it reacts instantly to a specific receptor, producing a specific response. Neurotransmission is an extremely sensitive course of action that can either speed up or slow down to accommodate different physiologic bodily functions. Many drugs and diseases can modify the reaction of acetylcholine, causing symptoms produced by either too much or too little. Balance of the different neurotransmitters is essential for the proper functioning of muscles, the nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls areas such as heart rate, bladder function and secretions in the digestive system.

2. Botulinium Toxin Blocks Acetylcholine

You can get an idea of the action of acetylcholine in your body by using the popular botulinum toxin injection that temporarily removes lines and wrinkles. This toxin blocks the release of acetylcholine, prohibiting the muscle from receiving the necessary electrical impulse it needs to become stimulated. The result is a temporarily paralyzed muscle, which in this instance is the desired result.

3. An Acetylcholine Shortage

People who suffer from Alzheimer's disease have a shortage of acetylcholine. Damage to the cholinergic pathways, located in the brainstem where the transmission of acetylcholine takes place, is the probable cause of this devastating disease. A degenerative process involving a large loss of cells from areas of the brain affects neurons that transmit acetylcholine and their target cells. The area of the brain affected involves memory and the thought processes, which is why the symptoms of dementia are so prevalent in Alzheimer's disease.

4. Antibodies That Inhibit Acetylcholine

When you have an autoimmune disease such as myasthenia gravis, you develop skeletal muscle weakness due to defective neuromuscular transmission. An immune response produces antibodies that inhibit receptors of acetylcholine, producing symptoms of muscle weakness and fatigue. The treatment for this disease involves the use of anticholinergic drugs, which allow the accumulation of acetylcholine and increase the stimulation of its receptors.

5. Dopamine Versus Acetylcholine

The symptoms of Parkinson's disease are produced when the neurotransmitter, dopamine is depleted in specific areas of the brainstem. When homeostasis is present, the two neurotransmitters, dopamine and acetylcholine are in balance. However, when the over activity of acetylcholine dominates, the symptoms of Parkinson's disease develop. Some of these symptoms include slow movement, rigid muscles, resting tremors and postural imbalance.