Pharmacological agents that prevent the breakdown of choline at the synapse; used to treat dementia.
Any of a class of drugs that prevent the degradation of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is involved in memory and learning. Drugs from this class are used to treat Alzheimer’s dementia.
Medications that possess the potential to decelerate the advancement of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) operate by impeding the enzymes responsible for the degradation of acetylcholine.
Cholinesterase inhibitors, also referred to as anticholinesterases, constitute a group of medications utilized for alleviating muscle weakness associated with myasthenia gravis. In this condition, the immune system’s abnormal activity leads to the destruction of receptors on muscle cells responsible for binding with acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter responsible for muscle contractions. Cholinesterase inhibitors impede the action of acetylcholinesterase, the enzyme that typically breaks down acetylcholine, thereby allowing the neurotransmitter to remain active for a longer duration. These drugs are also employed to reverse the effects of muscle-relaxant medications administered during general anesthesia.