[Evaluation of the state of the parasympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system by cholinergic blood activity].

On the basis of the data obtained during a determination of the cholinergic blood activity in different physiological and pathological conditions of the organism it was possible to evaluate the state (tone and reactivity) of the parasympathetic part of the vegetative nervous system. The conducted studies demonstrate that the cholinergic blood activity depends upon the quantitative relationships between the separate components of the "acetylcholine system" which consists of the free acetylcholine content, bound erythrocytes, the activity of the acetylcholine esterase and the capability of blood in vitro to fixate the added acetylcholine. The pathogenetic therapy in the different forms of disturbed cholinergic blood activity (conditions of parasympathicotonia and parasympathicoatonia) should be directed to a restitution of normal relationships within the acetylcholine complex.