Acetylcholinesterase

/əˌsiːtəlˌkoʊlɪnˈɛstəˌreɪs/ noun

An enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine, a chemical messenger in the brain and nervous system, stopping nerve signals from continuing.

From acetylcholine (acetyl + choline, a nutrient compound) + -esterase (suffix for enzymes that break chemical bonds). Discovered in the early 1900s as neuroscience emerged.

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