acetylcholine

[uh-seet-l-koh-leen, uh-set-]

noun

1. Biochemistry.,  the acetic acid ester of choline, C 7 H 17 NO 3 , released and hydrolyzed during nerve conduction and causing muscle action by transmitting nerve impulses across synapses.

2. Pharmacology.,  this substance used in its chloride form in eye surgery. ACh

acetylcholine

/ -lɪn, ˌæsɪtaɪlˈkəʊliːn /

noun

1. a chemical substance secreted at the ends of many nerve fibres, esp in the autonomic nervous system, and responsible for the transmission of nervous impulses. Formula: CH 3 CO 2 (CH 2 ) 2 N (CH 3 ) 3 ⁺

acetylcholine

1. A substance that is released at the junction between neurons and skeletal muscle fibers, at the nerve endings of the parasympathetic nervous system, and across synapses in the central nervous system, where it acts as a neurotransmitter. Chemical formula: C ₇ H ₁₆ NO ₂ .

Other Word Forms

• acetylcholinic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of acetylcholine¹

First recorded in 1905–10; acetyl + choline

Example Sentences

For example, nicotine is a drug that interacts with acetylcholine receptors, but so does choline, an essential nutrient that is not considered a drug.

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By tracking the impact of the diet on the rats' levels of acetylcholine, and running the rats through some memory testing, they could learn more about the important relationship between diet and memory.

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Too much acetylcholine in lab animals leads to muscle cramps, weakness, blurry vision, and paralysis.

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The new study proposes a mathematical mechanism by which simultaneous waves of acetylcholine and dopamine arise, which may represent how this balance is realized.

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Additionally, acetylcholine has been shown to be essential for normal memory and cognition.

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