Nitric oxide releases acetylcholine in the basal forebrain.

In conscious rats, the basal forebrain was superfused through a push-pull cannula and the release of acetylcholine was determined in the superfusate. Superfusion with the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor, NG-nitro-L-arginine, diminished the release of acetylcholine. Subsequent superfusion with the NO donor, 3-morpholino-sydnonimine, enhanced the release of the neurotransmitter. It is concluded that endogenous NO enhances the release of acetylcholine from its neurons.