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Acetylcholine Formation in Mouse Brain and Effect of Cholinergic Drugs

Nature New Biology volume 238, pages 88–89 (1972)Cite this article

Abstract

TREATMENT of mice with arecoline or oxotremorine produces tremors accompanied by a transient increase in the brain level of acetylcholine lasting for 20 to 30 min1. We reported that administration of pilocarpine, whose peripheral cholinomimetic effects resemble those of arecoline, also markedly increases the level of brain acetylcholine in rats2,3. By contrast with other cholinomimetics, however, the pilocarpine-induced increase in acetylcholine lasts for several hours and is not accompanied by tremors. These findings suggest that arecoline and pilocarpine increase brain acetylcholine levels by different mechanisms. This study compares the effects of arecoline and pilocarpine administration on the conversion of choline-3H to acetylcholine-3H to elucidate the mechanism by which these drugs raise the brain acetylcholine level.

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Chemical Pharmacology, National Heart and Lung Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, 20014

    DEAN R. HAUBRICH, WATSON D. REID & JAMES R. GILLETTE

Authors
  1. DEAN R. HAUBRICH
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  2. WATSON D. REID
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  3. JAMES R. GILLETTE
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HAUBRICH, D., REID, W. & GILLETTE, J. Acetylcholine Formation in Mouse Brain and Effect of Cholinergic Drugs. Nature New Biology 238, 88–89 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio238088a0

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