Possible Interaction: Acetylcholine and Ethanol

“These results show that ethanol intoxication leads to a perturbation in the synthetic capacity of acetylcholine in certain defined brain structures and that this may have some correlation to the observed behavioural impairments.”

“The possibility may thus be considered that ethanol activates the cholinergic afferents causing a release of acetylcholine in the ventral tegemental area leading to a stimulation of nAChRs and thereby excite the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system.”

“ Ethanol has been shown to inhibit both actions of acetylcholine in vitro.”

“4) Ethanol at 30-100 microM was very potent in accelerating the desensitization of currents induced by acetylcholine. (”

“It is known that ethanol can inhibit brain acetylcholine (ACh) release.”

“These data are most consistent with the concept that alcohol directly depresses neuronal function resulting in decreased release (utilization) of acetylcholine and at high alcohol concentrations induces a modest accumulation of acetylcholine in brain.”

“ Ethanol consumption by the pregnant rats resulted in a significant decrease in the fetal brain contents of acetylcholine and an increase in γ‐aminobutyric acid and glutamate.”

“ Ethanol , 0.11 M, reduces reversibly the amount of acetylcholine released by slices of rat or guinea-pig cerebral cortex incubated in medium containing 5 mM K+; in 15 or 27 mM K+ the acetylcholine release is greater but ethanol has no detectable effect.”

“The pharmacodynamic properties of alcohol are diverse, interfering with neuronal membranes, ion channels, enzymes, and receptors in multiple systems including acetylcholine , serotonin, glutamate, and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA).”

“We have previously shown that the acetylcholine analog carbachol induces astroglial cell proliferation through activation of muscarinic M3 receptors, and that ethanol strongly inhibits this effect by inhibiting activation of protein kinase C (PKC) ζ and its down‐stream effector 70‐kDa ribosomal S6 kinase (p70S6K).”