Acetylcholine concentrations in the developing brain appear to affect emotionality and mental capacity in later life.
A decrease of the acetylcholine concentration in the brain of infantile rats was induced by maternal deprivation in neonatal life, which was associated with emotional and mental ill-effects in later life. The decreased acetylcholine concentration in the infantile brain as well as the permanent emotional and mental ill-effects, which were produced by neonatal deprivation, could be prevented by neonatal administration of the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor pyridostigmine. These findings suggest that acetylcholine can be considered as an important, environment-dependent local organizer of the brain.
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism*; D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism; D009778:Occipital Lobe / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011729:Pyridostigmine Bromide / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012934:Social Isolation
D011729:Pyridostigmine Bromide; D000109:Acetylcholine