Do all human functions and behaviors, as well as the "self", have cholinergic correlates?
In the course of the five most recent International Symposia on Cholinergic Mechanisms (ISCMs) as well as at this XIII ISCM, the focus was mostly on matters microscopic and molecular, except for solitary excursions into memory and learning, addiction, and clinical and toxicological subjects. In fact, this is also true for many recent reviews and meetings concerned with the cholinergic transmission. Yet, macroscopic and overt phenomena that are of great importance have strong cholinergic correlates. To remedy this lacuna, macromolecular overt cholinergic brain-dependent activities will be reviewed such as reflex automatic phenomena, EEG functions, behaviors, and the sense of the "self" or "self-awareness", particularly the difficulties associated with neuroscientific explanation of the "self," and the many approaches to this dilemma will be discussed.
Karczmar
Alexander G
AG
Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153, USA. Kaczmar@sbcglobal.net
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology; D001364:Awareness / Q000502:physiology; D001519:Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology; D011603:Psychophysiology; D019455:Self Psychology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology*
D000109:Acetylcholine