An illustration of the acetylcholine pathway in the brain, also known as the cholinergic pathway. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter used by neurons to communicate with other cells. Acetylcholine also acts as a neuromodulator by altering how structures in the brain process information, and plays an important role in arousal, attention, sensory perception, and motivation. In the brainstem, acetylcholine originates from the Pedunculopontine nucleus and lateraldorsal tegmental nucleus within the pontine cholinergic system (purple). In the basal forebrain, acetylcholine originates from the nucleus basalis of Meynert (yellow) and medial septal group (red). Other major targets include the medial habenular nucleus (green) and dorsal raphae nucleus (orange), as well as limbic system components (blue) including the hippocampus, striatum, and thalamus. | |
Licence : | Droits gérés |
Crédit: | Science Photo Library / Oto, Evan |
Taille de l’image : | 3300 px × 2550 px |
Model Release : | Non requis |
Property Release : | Non requis |
Restrictions : | - |