Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Parasympathetic Signaling01:30

Parasympathetic Signaling

4.0K
Parasympathetic signaling plays a crucial role in regulating various physiological processes. It involves the release of acetylcholine (ACh) by parasympathetic neurons, which can have localized and short-lived effects. The majority of ACh released is rapidly inactivated at the synapse by the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which hydrolyzes Ach into choline and acetate. Additionally, the tissue cholinesterase deactivates any ACh diffusing into the surrounding tissues.
The effects of...
4.0K
Direct-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Chemistry and Structure-Activity Relationship01:22

Direct-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Chemistry and Structure-Activity Relationship

2.5K
Cholinergic agonists or cholinomimetics mimic the action of acetylcholine to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system. They are categorized into direct-acting and indirect-acting agents. The direct-acting cholinergic drugs induce the parasympathetic response by directly binding to the muscarinic or nicotine receptors. In comparison, the indirect-acting cholinergic drugs prevent acetylcholine hydrolysis, indirectly contributing to the extended parasympathetic response.
The direct-acting...
2.5K
Cholinergic Receptors: Muscarinic01:25

Cholinergic Receptors: Muscarinic

5.9K
The pharmacological actions of acetylcholine are elicited via its binding to two families of cholinergic receptors or cholinoceptors, namely, muscarinic and nicotinic receptors. Muscarinic receptors are G protein-coupled receptors and have five subtypes, M1–M5. All mAChR subtypes are activated by acetylcholine and blocked by the antagonist, atropine. 
The subtypes M1, M3, and M5 couple with the Gq subunit and activate the phospholipase C (PLC) activity, mobilizing intracellular Ca2+....
5.9K
Direct-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Pharmacological Actions00:59

Direct-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Pharmacological Actions

2.5K
Direct-acting cholinergic agonists exert their pharmacological actions by mimicking the effects of acetylcholine on postsynaptic muscarinic receptors to generate parasympathetic responses. These agents elicit a range of physiological responses, including cardiovascular effects. For example, activation of muscarinic receptors induces bradycardia, decreased cardiac output, reduced peripheral resistance, and consequent hypotension. In the eye, stimulation of M3 receptors leads to smooth muscle...
2.5K
Cholinergic Neurons: Neurotransmission01:23

Cholinergic Neurons: Neurotransmission

6.1K
Cholinergic neurotransmission involves the synthesis and the release of acetylcholine (ACh) in order to transmit nerve impulses across the synapse. The process begins with the synthesis of acetyl CoA, a precursor for ACh, from ATP, acetate, and coenzyme A in the mitochondria. Choline, another vital precursor, is transported inside the neuron through choline transporters, including high-affinity choline transporter CHT1, low-affinity choline transporter CTL1, and lower-affinity choline...
6.1K
Sympathetic Signaling01:31

Sympathetic Signaling

3.3K
Sympathetic signaling, a vital part of the autonomic nervous system, plays a crucial role in mobilizing the body's resources in response to stress or emergencies. It involves the transmission of nerve impulses from sympathetic preganglionic fibers to postganglionic fibers. This results in the release of specific neurotransmitters and activation of adrenergic receptors.
Sympathetic preganglionic fibers release the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) onto the ganglionic neurons in the...
3.3K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Emotional words evoke region- and valence-specific patterns of concurrent neuromodulator release in human thalamus and cortex.

Cell reports·2026
Same author

Reduced MOV10 reveals novel functional cortical connections in an increased fear response.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Dissociable Mechanisms Underlie Differences Between Memory and Metamemory in Older Adults: The Differentiating Role of Anxiety and Depression Symptoms.

Hippocampus·2026
Same author

Sex differences in neuromodulatory subcortical systems and their implications for Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association·2026
Same author

Octopamine and tyramine dynamics predict learning rate phenotypes during associative conditioning in honey bees.

Science advances·2026
Same author

Dopaminergic mechanisms supporting hippocampal postencoding dynamics in humans.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same journal

Chemogenetic disruption of the hippocampus impairs gustatory preconditioning in rats.

Neurobiology of learning and memory·2026
Same journal

Corrigendum to "Dynamic regulation of neuronal vault trafficking and RNA cargo by the noncoding RNA, Vaultrc5" [Neurobiol. Learn. Memory 225 (2026) 108161].

Neurobiology of learning and memory·2026
Same journal

Modeling the coexistence of NMDAR-dependent LTP and LTD mediated by changes in AMPAR conductance.

Neurobiology of learning and memory·2026
Same journal

No evidence for a protein-synthesis-dependent form of long-term fear memory: Translational inhibition and neural inactivation disrupt short- and long-term memory measures to the same degree.

Neurobiology of learning and memory·2026
Same journal

REM sleep fragmentation is associated with impaired configural threat learning.

Neurobiology of learning and memory·2026
Same journal

Trazodone reduces sign-tracking but not goal-tracking in male Sprague Dawley rats.

Neurobiology of learning and memory·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 25, 2026

Optogenetic Activation of Intrinsic Cardiac Autonomic Neurons in Excised Perfused Mouse Hearts
08:29

Optogenetic Activation of Intrinsic Cardiac Autonomic Neurons in Excised Perfused Mouse Hearts

Published on: March 28, 2025

842

What do phasic cholinergic signals do?

Martin Sarter1, Cindy Lustig1, Anne S Berry2

  • 1University of Michigan, Dept. of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.

Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
|February 26, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cholinergic transients, brief bursts of acetylcholine, are crucial for cue detection in attention tasks. These events help shift focus from monitoring to recognizing important signals, influencing cognitive processing.

Keywords:
AcetylcholineAttentionCognitionCortex

More Related Videos

In vitro Measurements of Tracheal Constriction Using Mice
10:20

In vitro Measurements of Tracheal Constriction Using Mice

Published on: June 25, 2012

21.4K
FM Dye Cycling at the Synapse: Comparing High Potassium Depolarization, Electrical and Channelrhodopsin Stimulation
08:31

FM Dye Cycling at the Synapse: Comparing High Potassium Depolarization, Electrical and Channelrhodopsin Stimulation

Published on: May 24, 2018

9.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 25, 2026

Optogenetic Activation of Intrinsic Cardiac Autonomic Neurons in Excised Perfused Mouse Hearts
08:29

Optogenetic Activation of Intrinsic Cardiac Autonomic Neurons in Excised Perfused Mouse Hearts

Published on: March 28, 2025

842
In vitro Measurements of Tracheal Constriction Using Mice
10:20

In vitro Measurements of Tracheal Constriction Using Mice

Published on: June 25, 2012

21.4K
FM Dye Cycling at the Synapse: Comparing High Potassium Depolarization, Electrical and Channelrhodopsin Stimulation
08:31

FM Dye Cycling at the Synapse: Comparing High Potassium Depolarization, Electrical and Channelrhodopsin Stimulation

Published on: May 24, 2018

9.1K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Science

Background:

  • Cholinergic systems play a neuromodulatory role in brain function.
  • Brief, discrete cholinergic release events, termed "transients," are linked to cue detection in attention tasks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review key findings on cholinergic transients during cognitive processing.
  • To explore the role of cholinergic transients in cue detection and attention.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing research on cholinergic transients.
  • Analysis of evidence linking transients to cognitive state, reward, and response mobilization.

Main Results:

  • Cholinergic transients are associated with cue detection and modulated by cognitive state.
  • They are not reward-dependent but co-vary with reward timing.
  • Transients correlate with cue-evoked responses and causally mediate shifts in attention.

Conclusions:

  • Cholinergic transients are critical mediators of cue detection and attentional shifts.
  • Further research is needed to understand their precise timing, triggers, and occurrence in humans.