Acetylcholine’s Role in the Brain as a Neurotransmitter

Acetylcholine and its precursor Choline have long been buzzwords in the nootropic supplementation community, but what exactly is Acetylcholine’s role in the brain?

Acetylcholine is one of the brain’s natural neurotransmitters. It plays a critical part in the formation of memories, verbal and logical reasoning, and the ability to concentrate.

Acetylcholine also offers protective benefits and may limit the neurological decay associated with degenerative diseases.

So it’s no wonder that supplements which boost the brain’s levels of Acetylcholine are so popular, both for personal use and in clinical settings such as for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Improved daily cognition and general long term brain health are the reason that most people explore nootropics in the first place.

Let’s take a look at how these processes work, plus how to effectively enhance the role of Acetylcholine in the brain with the right supplements.

Acetylcholine Precursors

Cholinergic Supplement

Memory

Brain Health

Cognition

How It Works:

• Supports memory and synaptic plasticity
• Raises acetylcholine levels
• Promotes brain health and focus

Dosage:

Varies Depending on Supplement

Safety:

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How Neurotransmitters Work

We can think of neurotransmitters as the messengers of the brain.

These endogenous chemicals (meaning they originate naturally within the body) are responsible for delivering messages from one neuron to another.

The passageway for this communication is the synapse. Neurotransmitters travel between synapses and bind with specific receptors that are designed to receive messages only from that particular chemical.

Upon this union, nerve cells related to the receptor site will be activated in one of two ways. Either they will fire (or be made more likely to fire) in an excitatory response, or they will be prevented from firing, in an inhibitory response.

Why Acetylcholine Is Important

Acetylcholine (ACh) was the very first neurotransmitter identified by scientists, in 1914. There are specific cells geared to respond only to Acetylcholine distributed all through the various sections of the brain.  We classify these sites as “cholinergic receptors.” The Acetylcholine receptors, when activated, allow for communication from the basal forebrain to the hippocampus, 2 areas which manage memory and learning.

Acetylcholine’s role in the brain improves the frequency and quality of neuron signaling by boosting theta waves. Specifically, Acetylcholine improves the encoding of new memories in the entorhinal and perirhinal cortex. It also prompts synaptogenesis, the healthy growth of synapses throughout the brain.

This action further enhances memory encoding, and facilitates the action of all other neurotransmitters as they communicate messages. We call these communication-friendly conditions “neuro-plasticity.”

The lack of neuroplasticity could be a leading factor in conditions like ADHD in the short-term and Alzheimer’s Disease in the long term. Acetylcholine disorders can also impact various other systems of the body, including respiratory and cardiovascular function.

How Is Acetylcholine Created?

The body is able to naturally manufacture its own Acetylcholine from any Choline that is present within the brain. The natural enzyme Choline Acetyltransferase synthesizes Choline in nerve cells in the basal forebrain.

Humans typically need to supply the brain with as much as 550 milligrams of Choline per day to maintain adequate acetylcholine levels and preserve Acetylcholine’s role in the brain.

Where does all this choline come from? The body has learned to acquire the essential nutrient from common human food sources. These include the following:

• Low fat dairy, including yogurt and cheese
• Eggs
• Meat liver (beef, chicken, or turkey)
• Seafood, including salmon cod, and shrimp
• Nuts, such as macadamias, peanuts, and pine nuts
• Oat bran

However, even with a diet rich in these basic foods, healthy levels of Acetylcholine may still be difficult to achieve.

How to Supplement Choline Effectively

Acetylcholine is not able to cross the blood-brain barrier on its own. For this reason, direct supplementation of the chemical is not effective – acetylcholine pills would simply be destroyed during digestion and never make it to the brain.

There are, however, several easy ways to boost levels of its precursor, Choline, and enhance Acetylcholine’s role in the brain.

CDP Choline (also known as “Citicoline”) is one of the most highly bioavailable forms of choline . It delivers more choline directly to the brain for enzyme conversion into Acetylcholine than any other supplement.

Alpha GPC is a direct pre-cursor to Acetylcholine, and breaks down into the chemical immediately. Many people supplement with Alpha GPC to improve overall memory and learning abilities. It also works as a powerful antioxidant.

One of the most common forms of choline supplementation comes in the form of Choline Bitartrate. This inexpensive pill is classified as a salt. While easy to find, it is not strong enough to produce very significant cognitive benefits and does not increase acetylcholine activity as much as other dietary supplements available.

It is possible to find pill forms of soy lecithin and Phosphatidylcholine, the forms of choline which are naturally present in eggs, meat, and fish. However, just as with food sources, it is very difficult to take enough of these compounds to produce strong cognitive effects.

Choline in any supplemental form is available as a health supplement only, and the FDA has not approved choline as a drug to prevent or treat any condition.

Blocking Acetylcholine Limiters

The other prime way of increasing Acetylcholine levels is to block the enzymes which inhibit the neurotransmitter in the brain. Acetylcholinesterase, one such enzyme, functions as a limiter of excessive levels of acetylcholine.

Too much Acetylcholine activity can lead to overstimulation of cholinergic receptors, so Acetylcholinesterase limits the amount of Acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft. However, too much activity of Acetylcholinesterase can lead to low levels of Acetylcholine. It is a delicate balance that needs to be struck, and sometimes Acetylcholinesterase needs to be blocked.

Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors like Huperzine A and Galantamine (Reminyl ER) are able to stop this inhibition, allowing the body to retain any Acetylcholine that is generated. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are frequently prescribed to ease symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Acetylcholine in Review

Acetylcholine production is a natural process in the brain for aiding synaptic communication across synapses. It interacts with key receptors throughout all sections of the brain relating to memory and learning.

It can improve sleep cycles and increase the overall amount of REM sleep as well as promoting more vivid dreams and even lucid dreaming states. Acetylcholine enhances overall brain plasticity, creating the conditions necessary for long term neural health.

Acetylcholine’s role in the brain may be enhanced through supplementation. Choline boosters like CDP Choline and Alpha GPC can build on the natural Acetylcholine pre-cursors found in food sources.

Short and long term memory can be dramatically improved, while protecting the brain from future decay. For these reasons, some form of Acetylcholine supplementation should be considered for every person’s mental health regimen.

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