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Figure 3. Cholinergic projections in the brain.
Nerve cells that release the neurotransmitter acetylcholine form the cholinergic system in the
brain, which is divided into two parts: muscarinic (main focus of attention in memory) and nicotinic.
The muscarinic projections are outlined in Figure 3, which represents a midline slice through the
whole brain. Specific masses of nerve cells, or nuclei, in the deep part of the brain form the center of
the muscarinic cholinergic system, and they use acetylcholine as their neurotransmitter.
Degeneration of these cholinergic nerve cells deep in the brain leads to damage to the areas to which
they project and are connected, namely, the hippocampus and frontal cortex. Naturally, memory loss
is the result.
Role of Acetylcholine in Cognition
Increase in acetylcholine leads to improved attention, mental arousal, and memory.
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