acetylcholine

American  

[uh-seet-l-koh-leen, uh-set-] / əˌsit lˈkoʊ lin, əˌsɛt- /

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

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acetylcholine British  

/ -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 ⁺

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acetylcholine Scientific  

/ ə-sēt′l-kō′lēn′ /

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 .

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Other Word Forms

• acetylcholinic adjective

Etymology

Origin of acetylcholine

First recorded in 1905–10; acetyl + choline

Example Sentences

A central aspect of the study involves choline, a nutrient essential for cell-membrane structure, inflammation control, liver function and the production of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter important for memory.

From Science Daily

People who suffer from Alzheimer's disease tend to have lower levels of a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine in the brain that is essential for memory and functions such as learning, attention, arousal and involuntary muscle movement.

From Science Daily

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

From Science Magazine

Their research, published in Nature Communications, unveils the existence of traveling waves of the neurochemical acetylcholine in the striatum, a region of the brain responsible for motivating actions and habitual behaviors.

From Science Daily

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

From Science Daily