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Acetylcholine

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Neurochemistry in Clinical Practice

Abstract

Acetylcholine (Ach) is an excitatory neurotransmitter formed from choline and acetic acid through the process of esterification. It is the primary neurotransmitter in the parasympathetic autonomic nervous system, a chemical transmitter at the neuromuscular junction, and a neuromodulator in the brain. This chapter outlines the history, neurochemical profile, receptor functioning, metabolism, pharmacological importance, and the clinical application of Ach.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, University of Missouri Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA

    Lakshmi Digala

  2. Pediatrics—Division of Medical Genetics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA

    Sireesha Murala

  3. Department of Neurology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine-Prisma Health, Columbia, SC, USA

    Pradeep C. Bollu

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  1. Lakshmi Digala
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  2. Sireesha Murala
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  3. Pradeep C. Bollu
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  1. Department of Neurology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Prisma Health, Columbia, SC, USA

    Pradeep C. Bollu

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Digala, L., Murala, S., Bollu, P.C. (2022). Acetylcholine. In: Bollu, P.C. (eds) Neurochemistry in Clinical Practice. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-07897-2_11

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