Acetylcholine levels of rat brain and heart in starvation and protein restriction.

Acetylcholine (ACh) levels and protein content in brain and heart were determined in normal, acutely starved, chronically semi-starved and chronically protein restricted groups of adult male rats. The only change observed in acute starvation and chronic semi-starvation was an increase in ACh level with a decrease in protein content in the heart, no change was observed in the brain. Protein restriction, however, produced a significant rise in ACh levels with a decrease in protein content of both brain and heart.