How does acetylcholinesterase inhibitors cause paralysis?

How does acetylcholinesterase inhibitors cause paralysis? I understand this leads to accumulation of ACh in the synaptic cleft but I don't understand how this could paralyze inspiratory muscles. Thanks.

Reply 1

BankaiGintoki

21

Original post by thomas.rhett

How does acetylcholinesterase inhibitors cause paralysis? I understand this leads to accumulation of ACh in the synaptic cleft but I don't understand how this could paralyze inspiratory muscles. Thanks.

Read: https://studymind.co.uk/notes/inhibitory-synapses/
The acetylcholine would bind to receptors on the sarcolemma, stimulating action potentials. If it is not removed, it would continue to stimulate it.

Reply 2

thomas.rhett

OP

10

Original post by BankaiGintoki

Read: https://studymind.co.uk/notes/inhibitory-synapses/
The acetylcholine would bind to receptors on the sarcolemma, stimulating action potentials. If it is not removed, it would continue to stimulate it.

Thanks for the reply but it is still not clear to me how the paralysis comes about. If AChE is inhibited, the ACh concentration would increase in the synaptic cleft and would continue to bind to ACh receptors on postsynaptic membrane. What is the effect this will have on postsynaptic neuron? increase/decrease rate of firing? is the receptor going to be desensitized at some point?

Reply 3

BankaiGintoki

21

Original post by thomas.rhett

Thanks for the reply but it is still not clear to me how the paralysis comes about. If AChE is inhibited, the ACh concentration would increase in the synaptic cleft and would continue to bind to ACh receptors on postsynaptic membrane. What is the effect this will have on postsynaptic neuron? increase/decrease rate of firing? is the receptor going to be desensitized at some point?

muscle paralysis - loss of muscle function.
Your muscles are controlled by the somatic nervous system, which use acetylcholine, and this is consciously controlled. Normally, acetylcholine is released from the synaptic knob, diffuses across the synaptic cleft, binds to receptors on the sarcolemma, causes the action potential, acetylcholinesterase breaks it down and it goes back to the synoptic knob.

If this doesn't happen, your muscle will always be contracted, stuck in that same position, as acetylcholine binds to the receptor, causes the action potential, is released, and not broken down and sent back to the synaptic knob

(edited 7 months ago)

How does acetylcholinesterase inhibitors cause paralysis?

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