Acetylcholine releasing agent

Therapeutic indications for cholinergics, anticholinesterases, and/or acetylcholine releasing agents in contemporary practice or those contemplated for future use include the following ... 

One of the possible advantages to a therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer s disease or other deficits in memory and learning using acetylcholine-releasing agents is that such a process would seem to permit stimulation of both nicotinic and muscarinic receptors in the. brain and to permit stimulation of all subgroups of acetylcholine receptors. 

Gifford AN, Tang Y, Gatley SJ, Volkow ND, Lan R, Makriyannis A. Effect of the cannabinoid receptor SPECT agent, AM 281, on hippocampal acetylcholine release from rat brain slices. Neurosci Lett 1997 238 84-86. 

Cisapride is a selective cholinomimetic agent with no antidopaminergic activity. It increases acetylcholine release from the myenteric neurons. It has the same indications as metoclopramide but is also useful for dysmotility problems of the lower GI tract. In many countries it has been either withdrawn or has had its indications limited due to reports about long QT syndrome due to cisapride. 

Maura G, Andrioli SC, Cavazzani P S-hydroxytryptaminej receptor sites on cholinergic axon terminals of human cerebral cortex mediate inhibition of acetylcholine release. J Neurochem 58 2334-2337, 1992 Mavissakalian M, Turner SM, Michelson L, et al Tricyclic antidepressants in obsessive-compulsive disorder antiobsessional or antidepressant agents 11. Am J Psychiatry 142 572-576, 1985... 

Reversal of this type of neuromuscular block can be achieved with anticholinesterase drugs, such as neostigmine, which prevent the destruction by cholinesterase of acetylcholine released at nerve endings, allow the concentration to build up and so reduce the competitive effect of a blocking agent. 

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