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.
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
Jan
J
de Vente
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