PSYC 462 Lecture 12: PSYC 462 002 Lecture 12: Acetylcholine
Document Summary
Psyc 462 002 lecture 12 15th feb 2018. Acetylcholine: acetylcholine(ach) is widely distributed in the body, especially the central nervous system(cns) and peripheral nervous system(pns). It has multiple cell bodies which innervate different parts of the brain: synthesis. Acetyl coenzyme a(coa) + choline -> acetylcholine + coenzyme a. How much acetylcholine is made depends on how much choline is available. There is no drug that can selectively block the catalyst enzyme of this synthesis reaction, choline acetyltransferase, therefore we cannot target this: vesicular ach transporter vacht. Blocking this reduces the amount of ach in the cell. Vesamicol blocks vacht and leads to reduced amount of ach. Black widow spider venom causes massive release of ach in the peripheral nervous system. It depends entirely on the enzyme acetylcholinesterase(ache) to break down itself in a very fast reaction that can last just milliseconds. When ache is blocked, the amount of ach in the synapse increases and transmission also increases.
