Cholinergic mechanisms and antinociception

This article summarizes current knowledge regarding the involvement of cholinergic mechanisms of the central nervous system in transmission and modulation of nociceptive information, with emphasis on the spinal nociceptive processing. Major topics reviewed include the antinociceptive activity of cholinergic drugs, experimental evidence of the presence of the central cholinergic systems, subclasses of muscarinic receptors involved in antinociceptive effects, and a possible physiologic role of the central cholinergic mechanisms.