Anticholinergics are a class of medications that inhibit
parasympathetic nerve impulses by selectively blocking the binding of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine to its receptor in
nerve cells. The
nerve fibers of the parasympathetic system are responsible for the
involuntary movements of smooth muscles present in the
gastrointestinal tract,
urinary tract,
lungs, etc. Anticholinergics are divided into three categories in accordance with their specific targets in the central and/or peripheral nervous system: antimuscarinic agents, ganglionic blockers, and neuromuscular blockers......Wickpedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anticholinergic
Why are anticholinergics important?
Acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter produced by neurons referred to as cholinergic neurons.
For a cholinergic neuron to receive another impulse, acetylcholine must be released from the receptor to which it has bound. This will only happen if the concentration of acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft is very low. Low synaptic concentrations of acetylcholine can be maintained via a hydrolysis reaction catalyzed by the enzyme acetylcholinesterase. This enzyme hydrolyzes acetylcholine into acetic acid and choline. If acetylcholinesterase activity is inhibited, the synaptic concentration of acetylcholine will remain higher than normal. If this inhibition is irreversible, as in the case of exposure to many nerve gases and some pesticides, sweating, bronchial constriction, convulsions, paralysis, and possibly death can occur. Although irreversible inhibition is dangerous, beneficial effects may be derived from transient (reversible) inhibition. Drugs that inhibit acetylcholinesterase in a reversible manner have been shown to improve memory in some people with Alzheimer's disease.
People with Parkinson's do not have a loss of acetylcholine. This is the symptom of Alzheimers. Pwp have normal acetylcholine. Pwp do not need anymore acetylchloline. There miust be a balance.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetylc...rase_inhibitor
ARICEPT® (donepezil hydrochloride) is a reversible inhibitor of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, known chemically as (±)-2,3-dihydro-5,6-dimethoxy-2-[[1-(phenylmethyl)-4-piperidinyl]methyl]-1H-inden-1-one hydrochloride.
So do the papers we see now about cholinergic loss actually mean we have inhibitor loss? if so, does that mean we have too much acetycholine all the time.
is it poisoning us continuously? is it like a natural pesticide?
combined with lots of dopamine, we are an excitatory mess aren't we?
paula