Evolution of the human CNS cholineric system: Has this resulted in the emergence of psychiatric disease?

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to review the available literature on the evolutionary processes that have led to the develzopment of the human central nervous system (CNS) cholinergic system and to test the hypothesis that such processes may have contributed to the emergence of psychiatric diseases. First, it is clear that the molecular components that have come together to form the cholinergic system in the human CNS initially had functions that were not involved in neurotransmission. Indeed, components of the cholinergic system of the human CNS may be present in nearly all forms of life may have existed since life began. Significantly, components of the human CNS cholinergic system had b..