acetylcholine

noun

ace·tyl·cho·line | \ ə-ˌse-tᵊl-ˈkō-ˌlēn

, -ˌsē-; ˈa-sə-ˌtēl- \

Definition of acetylcholine

: a neurotransmitter [C₇H₁₆NO₂]⁺ released at autonomic synapses and neuromuscular junctions and formed enzymatically in the tissues from choline

Examples of acetylcholine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web It was widely believed that acetylcholine always increased alertness by making neurons more independent of the activity in their circuits. — Quanta Magazine, 22 Mar. 2022 Yet the amount of synchronization also depends on the region of the brain and the arousal level, painting the picture that acetylcholine does not have uniform effects everywhere. — Quanta Magazine, 22 Mar. 2022 That shows up in the chapter on atropine, the toxin in deadly nightshade that blocks the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, and again in the chapter on strychnine, a popular rat killer that blocks the neurotransmitter glycine. — Diana Gitig, Ars Technica, 13 Mar. 2022 Botox works by blocking the release of acetylcholine, a compound that makes muscles contract. — Emily Langer, Washington Post, 22 Dec. 2021 In tests of their prototypes in mice, the scientists found that pupil dilation reliably indicated levels of key neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine that affect neurons throughout the brain. — Robert Lee Hotz, WSJ, 13 Aug. 2021 Scientists had found that a large hub of nerve cells that make acetylcholine showed severe damage in people with Alzheimer’s disease. — Susan Molchan, STAT, 12 July 2021 The hope was that increasing acetylcholine in the brain could ease Alzheimer’s symptoms, at least for some time, much as dopamine replacement helps people with Parkinson’s disease. — Susan Molchan, STAT, 12 July 2021 Avitrol increases levels of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that controls muscle contractions. — Rachel Fobar, National Geographic, 21 Oct. 2020 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'acetylcholine.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries Near acetylcholine

acetyl chloride

acetylcholine

acetylcholinesterase

Statistics for acetylcholine

Last Updated

21 Apr 2022

Cite this Entry

“Acetylcholine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acetylcholine. Accessed 25 May. 2022.

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More Definitions for acetylcholine

acetylcholine

noun

ace·tyl·cho·line | \ ə-ˌset-ᵊl-ˈkō-ˌlēn

, -ˌsēt-; ˌas-ə-ˌtēl-

Medical Definition of acetylcholine

: a neurotransmitter [C₇H₁₆NO₂]⁺ released at autonomic synapses and neuromuscular junctions, active in the transmission of nerve impulses, and formed enzymatically in the tissues from choline