PSYC 3030 Midterm: Acetycholine Textbook, Lecture, and Additional Notes

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 3030
• Professor: Boyer Winters

Document Summary

A small molecule with a simple chemical structure. Choline acetyltransferase: moves the acetyl from the coenzyme to the choline. Choline precursor therapy to treat cholinergic disorders like alzheimer"s (not very effective) Found in vegetables, egg yolk, kidneys, liver, seeds, legumes. Enters the brain through specific carrier systems in the membrane of the capillary endothelial cells (due to the blood brain barrier); this blood-brain barrier is bidirectional. Choline enters neurons via a low-affinity uptake mechanism. Not the main source of synthesis: recycling. From previously released ach, via a na+ dependant high-affinity choline uptake mechanisms (hachu); this mechanism is estimated to recycle 35% to 50% of all liberated choline back into ach synthesis. Derived from the metabolism of sugar and fats. Transport from the mitochondria to the cytoplasm is ca2+ dependant. Choline acetyltransferase (chat): synthesized in the rough er and transported via axoplasmic transport to the axon terminal. Most chat is considered to be a selective marker for cholinergic neurons.