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Acetylcholine research articles are provided below. Comments on acetylcholine articles and group forum discussions covering acteylcholine research are welcome.

Neuroscience

·June 23, 2025·6 min read

Sleep’s Secret Sequence May Sculpt Our Memories Like a Garden

A new theory suggests that the order of sleep phases—non-REM followed by REM—is essential for strengthening and organizing memories. In mice studies and computational models, researchers found that non-REM sleep reinforces new memories, while REM sleep prunes overlapping or irrelevant ones, keeping them distinct.

Featured Neuroscience

·March 29, 2025·3 min read

Dopamine Circuit in Brain Found to Drive Male Ejaculation

New research uncovers how dopamine in the ventral shell of the nucleus accumbens (vsNAc) governs the sexual behavior sequence in male mice, from sniffing to ejaculation. Using fiber photometry, scientists identified rhythmic dopamine activity during intromission that aligns with movement patterns and is regulated by acetylcholine inputs.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 16, 2024·5 min read

Junk Food Diet in Teens Linked to Long-term Memory Issues

A high-fat, sugary diet during adolescence may cause long-lasting memory impairments. The study found that rats raised on a junk food diet exhibited significant memory deficits that persisted into adulthood, despite switching to a healthier diet.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 30, 2023·4 min read

Brain Waves: Acetylcholine and Dopamine’s Synchronized Dance in Striatum

Researchers unveiled a groundbreaking discovery in brain chemistry. They identified wave-like patterns of the neurochemical acetylcholine in the striatum, a region vital for motivating actions.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Pain

·September 20, 2023·6 min read

Unlocking Non-Opioid Pain Relief: Acetylcholine’s Untapped Potential

Researchers have unveiled a groundbreaking discovery in the field of pain management: an alternative pathway in the brain that provides relief similar to opioids but without the addiction risks. This mechanism leverages the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) region of the brain.

Featured Neuroscience

·August 11, 2023·6 min read

Dopamine’s Role in Unrewarded Learning

Researchers uncovered that dopamine, the “feel-good” hormone typically associated with rewards, plays a vital role in learning even without immediate incentives. The study discovered that dopamine and acetylcholine, both crucial for memory and learning, maintain a dynamic balance in the brain irrespective of external rewards.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·March 28, 2023·4 min read

A Novel Biomarker for Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease

Astrocytic α7-subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChRs) have been implicated as a novel biomarker for the diagnosis of early Alzheimer's disease.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·March 8, 2023·4 min read

How Gene Expression Controls Synaptic Plasticity in the Aging Human Brain

M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) dependent LTP and LTD share a common AMPA trafficking pathway. Either the upregulation of neurotransmitter receptor genes or suppression of the downregulation could improve synaptic dysfunction associated with age-related neurodegeneration. The findings could assist in the creation of new therapies for Alzheimer's disease that target synaptic plasticity.

Featured Neuroscience

·June 28, 2022·5 min read

New Brain Mechanism Involved in Impulsive Cocaine-Seeking in Rats Discovered

Blocking M2Rs muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in the lateral habenula with an experimental drug increased cocaine-seeking behaviors in rat models of impulsive behaviors.

Featured Neuroscience

·June 27, 2022·5 min read

Molecular Mechanisms Behind Learning and Memory Identified

Findings reveal the molecular mechanism for acetylcholine in learning and memory.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·May 26, 2022·3 min read

Synaptic Connectivity of a Novel Cell Population in the Striatum

Researchers characterize a novel neural population within the striatum that appears to be responsible for the interplay between acetylcholine and GABA.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·April 7, 2022·6 min read

Human Gene Variant Produces Attention Deficit Disorder-Like Problems in Mice

Mice with the Val89 choline transporter variant had reduced rates of choline uptake and a diminished capacity to sustain acetylcholine production during attention-demanding conditions. The effect led to decreased cognitive performance when the mice were faced with additional challenges.