title: Anticholinergic activity in the nervous system: Consequences for visuomotor function.
abstract: Acetylcholine is present in the peripheral and central nervous system, where it is involved in a number of fundamental physiological and biochemical processes. In particular, interaction with muscarinic receptors can cause adverse effects such as dry mouth, drowsiness, mydriasis and cognitive dysfunction. Despite the knowledge that exists regarding these common side-effects, little is known about how anticholinergic medications influence central motor processes and fine motor control in healthy individuals. This paper reviews critical visuomotor processes that operate in healthy individuals, and how controlling these motor processes are influenced by medications that interfere with central cholinergic neurotransmission. An overview of receptor function and neurotransmitter interaction following the ingestion or administration of anticholinergics is provided, before exploring how visuomotor performance is affected by anticholinergic medications. In particular, this review will focus on the effects that anticholinergic medications have on fixation stability, saccadic eye movements, smooth pursuit eye movements, and general pupil dynamics.
authors.affiliation: Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia; School of Pharmacy, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Preshanta
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Naicker
authors.affiliation: Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia; School of Pharmacy, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Shailendra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Anoopkumar-Dukie
authors.affiliation: Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia; School of Pharmacy, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Gary D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.affiliation: Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia; School of Allied Health Sciences, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: j.kavanagh@griffith.edu.au.
authors.forename: Justin J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Kavanagh
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists; D000109:Acetylcholine