Cholinergic Mechanisms And Psychopharmacology

This volume represents a collection of papers which were contributed by participants at a Symposium for Cholinergic Mechanisms and Psycho pharmacology, held in La Jolla, California on March 28-30, 1977. The were chosen to emphasize areas in which there has been substantial topics progress in the past 2-3 years and fall into seven major groups dealingwith: cholinergiC receptors; chemistry, histochemistry and enzymology; cyclic nucleotides and cholinergiC mechanisms; storage, compartmentation and release of acetylcholine; regulatory mechanisms in acetylcholine metab olism; modulation of acetylcholine metabolism; and behavioral and clin ical manifestations of cholinergiC function and dysfunction. Each group contains one or more reviews and a number of shorter contributions de scribing current work. This symposium was the third in a series of which the first two were held in Skokloster, Sweden in 1970 and Boldern, Switzerland in 1974. The Proceedings of the meetings indicate a rapid development of knowledge of cholinergiC mechanisms which for many years lagged behind that of other neurotransmitters and neuroregulators. The inclusion of a large section in the present volume dealing with clinical manifestations of cholinergiC dysfunction reflects one of the most important trends in current research on cholinergiC mechanisms, namely the close inter-relationship and mutual support of basic science and clinical investigation. I hope that this volume will be of value to all those whose work relates to cholinergiC function, at both basic and clinicalleve18, and will continue to stimulate the vigorous exchange of ideas which was such a prominent feature of the Symposium.

Although serious interest in studying the role of central cho linergic processes in psychopathology is just beginning to emerge, experimental literature on the part played by cholinergic mechanisms in brain behavior. reiations is quite extensive. During the past thirty years, cholinergic research has contributed significantly to the characterization and differentiation of adaptive mechanisms in volved in input selection, perception, cortical, autonomic and behav ioral activation, learning, memory, and inhibitory control of behav ioral outputs. To say that dysfunction of one or more of these mech anisms may be at the root of neuropsychiatric illnesses such as schiz ophrenia would be stating the obvious. This book examines the part cholinergic processes might play in dysfunctions of the adaptive processes involved in higher brain func tions and their significance for the pathogenesis, classification, etiology, and treatment of psychopathological conditions. In a series of wide ranging reviews of the available information, the subject is discussed from a variety of perspectives, using data derived from both experimental and clinical research. The purpose is not so much to determine whether cholinergic excess or deficiency is causal in this or that neuropsychiatric syndrome, but rather to try to understand the disease mechanisms in terms of adaptive processes in which cholinergic systems seem to play an important part.

The molecular genetics of the cholinergic system including both muscarinic and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, cholinesterases, acetylcholine synthesis and release have provided significant insights into potential targeting for pharmacological intervention. Cholinergic drugs are being used or evaluated for the treatment of diseases. Thus, this volume aims to broaden our understanding of the current state of cholinergic mechanisms to enable implementation of novel approaches for the development of more effective treatments.

This book covers negative schizophrenic symptons.