Editing Cholinergic (section)

{{Short description|Agent which mimics choline}}
[[File:Choline-skeletal.svg|thumb|right|200px|The ''N'',''N'',''N''-trimethylethanolammonium cation, with an undefined counteranion, X<sup>&minus;</sup>]]
[[Image:Acetylcholine.svg|thumb|right|200px|[[Acetylcholine]]]]

{{See also|Cholinomimetic}}

'''Cholinergic''' agents are compounds which mimic the action of [[acetylcholine]] and/or [[butyrylcholine]].<ref name="Vardanyan Hruby 2006 pp. 179–193">{{cite book | last1=Vardanyan | first1=R.S. | last2=Hruby | first2=V.J. | title=Synthesis of Essential Drugs | chapter=Cholinomimetics | publisher=Elsevier | year=2006 | isbn=978-0-444-52166-8 | doi=10.1016/b978-044452166-8/50013-3 | pages=179–193 | quote=Cholinomimetics or cholinergic drugs are those drugs that cause effects similar to those resulting from introduction of acetylcholine, or simulation of ganglions of the parasympathetic nervous system. These drugs imitate action of endogenously released acetylcholine.}}</ref> In general, the word "[[choline]]" describes the various [[quaternary ammonium salts]] containing the [[choline|''N'',''N'',''N''-trimethylethanolammonium]] [[cation]]. Found in most animal tissues, choline is a primary component of the [[neurotransmitter]] [[acetylcholine]] and functions with [[inositol]] as a basic constituent of [[lecithin]]. Choline also prevents fat deposits in the liver and facilitates the movement of fats into cells.  

The [[parasympathetic nervous system]], which uses acetylcholine almost exclusively to send its messages, is said to be almost entirely cholinergic. Neuromuscular junctions, preganglionic neurons of the [[sympathetic nervous system]], the [[basal forebrain]], and brain stem complexes are also cholinergic, as are the receptor for the [[merocrine]] sweat glands.

In neuroscience and related fields, the term cholinergic is used in these related contexts:
* A substance (or [[ligand (biochemistry)|ligand]]) is cholinergic if it is capable of producing, altering, or releasing [[acetylcholine]], or [[butyrylcholine]] ("indirect-acting"), or mimicking their behaviours at one or more of the body's [[acetylcholine receptor]] ("direct-acting") or [[butyrylcholine receptor]] types ("direct-acting"). Such mimics are called [[parasympathomimetic drug]]s or cholinomimetic drugs.
* A [[receptor (biochemistry)|receptor]] is cholinergic if it uses acetylcholine as its neurotransmitter.<ref name="urlDorlands Medical Dictionary:cholinergic receptors">{{cite web |url=http://www.mercksource.com/pp/us/cns/cns_hl_dorlands_split.jsp?pg=/ppdocs/us/common/dorlands/dorland/seven/000091035.htm |title=Dorlands Medical Dictionary:cholinergic receptors }}{{Dead link|date=July 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
* A [[synapse]] is cholinergic if it uses acetylcholine as its neurotransmitter.