Cholinergic modulation of synaptic transmission and plasticity

The physiological and cognitive states of the brain are influenced by variations in the activity of the cholinergic systems. For example, changes in the levels of acetylcholine have been associated with arousal/sleep cycle, sustained and focal attention. The importance of acetylcholine action on brain physiology is highlighted by the fact that a deficit of cholinergic transmission impairs learning and cellular plasticity and is involved in brain pathology such as Alzheimer diseases. Cholinergic activity exerts is action by modifying the extracellular cortical concentration of acetylcholine; here will be discussed several experimental data suggesting that a selective activation of the different subtypes of cholinergic receptors, produced by the modification in cortical acetylcholine release, is capable to modulate the dynamics of cortical activity and to affects the way in witch synaptic connections are modified by experience. Will be further discussed how such property could affects the brain cognitive states and the mnemonic processes that are associated whit high or low level of activation of the cholinergic system.

Autorentext

Nicola Kuczewski obtained is Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience at the International School for Advanced studies (ISAS/SISSA) in Trieste (It). At the present time is postdoctoral researcher at the Institute de Neurobiologie de la Méditerranée (INMED) in Marseille (Fr). Its research interest is focus on the mechanisms of brain activity modulation.