What it means
A neurotransmitterNOOR-oh-trans-mit-erA chemical that a nerve cell releases to pass a signal to another nerve, muscle or gland cell.neur/o nervetrans- acrossmitt send-er one that doesFull entry used where nerves meet skeletal muscle (telling muscles to contract), throughout the parasympathetic nervous system ("rest and digest": slower heart rate, more saliva, gut movement, bladder emptying) and in the brain, where it helps memory. Drugs that block it are anticholinergican-tee-koh-lin-ER-jikA drug or effect that blocks acetylcholine, a nerve messenger, in parts of the nervous system.anti- againstcholinergic acting like acetylcholineFull entry ; drugs that boost it include those used in myasthenia gravismy-us-THEE-nee-uh GRAV-isA long-term autoimmune disease in which antibodies block the signals passing from nerves to muscles.my/o muscle-asthenia weaknessgravis seriousFull entry and Alzheimer disease.
At a glance
| Abbreviations | ACh |
|---|---|
| Spanish | acetilcolina |
| Also written | ACh |
Related terms
autonomic nervous system
The part of the nervous system that controls body functions without conscious thought, such as heart rate, breathing and digestion.
neurotransmitter
A chemical that a nerve cell releases to pass a signal to another nerve, muscle or gland cell.
myasthenia gravis
A long-term autoimmune disease in which antibodies block the signals passing from nerves to muscles.
anticholinergic
A drug or effect that blocks acetylcholine, a nerve messenger, in parts of the nervous system.