Cholinergic

/ˌkoʊlɪˈnɜːrdʒɪk/ adjective

Definition

Relating to or activated by acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter; describing nerves or receptors that use acetylcholine.

Etymology

From 'choline' (the chemical precursor) + '-ergic' (producing or transmitting). Coined in 20th-century neurobiology as scientists understood how the nervous system works.

Kelly Says

Your cholinergic nerves control your heart rate, digestion, and muscle movement—and when you're stressed, your different nervous system (the adrenergic one) takes over, which is why stress affects your whole body!

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