cGMP: a second messenger for acetylcholine in the brain?
Already 30 years ago, it became apparent that there exists a relationship between acetylcholine and cGMP in the brain. Acetylcholine plays a role in a great number of processes in the brain, however, the role of cGMP in these processes is not known. A review of the data shows that, although the connection between NO-mediated cGMP synthesis and acetylcholine is firmly established, the complexities of the heterosynaptic pathways and the oligosynaptic structures involved preclude a clear definition of the role of cGMP in the functioning of acetylcholine presently.
de Vente
Jan
J
Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, European Graduate School of Neuroscience (EURON), Maastricht University, UNS50, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands. j.devente@np.unimass.nl
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018679:Cholinergic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004594:Electrophysiology; D006801:Humans; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000502:physiology; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D015290:Second Messenger Systems / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology
D018679:Cholinergic Agonists; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists; D000242:Cyclic AMP; C496320:NOS1 protein, human; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D000109:Acetylcholine