Effects of immobilization and cold exposure on the turnover rate of acetylcholine in rat brain areas

The effect of two 'Stressors', immobilization and cold exposure, on the turnover rate of acetylcholine in various brain areas has been determined. Neither short term (10 min) nor long term (1 24 h) immobilization stress modifies the acetylcholine or choline concentrations or the turnover rate of acetylcholine in various rat brain areas. Cold exposure reduces the turnover rate of acetylcholine in the hypothalamus and modifies some of the other cholinergic parameters (e.g. choline content or fractional rate constant for acetylcholine efflux) in all areas studied. These results suggest that cholinergic neurons may be involved in thermoregulation but may not necessarily be involved in the phenomenon of immobilization stress. © 1981.