Category: neurotransmitter
Aliases: ACh
Synthesised from choline + acetyl-CoA by choline acetyltransferase (ChAT). Principal neurotransmitter at the neuromuscular junction (nicotinic AChR) and autonomic ganglia; CNS cortical projections from basal forebrain (muscarinic mAChR subtypes M1-M5) govern attention, memory, arousal. Degraded in synaptic cleft by acetylcholinesterase — target of AChE inhibitors (donepezil, rivastigmine, organophosphates).