CVS Practice Test 2026 - Free CVS Practice Questions and Study Guide

Acetylcholinesterase is the enzyme responsible for breaking down acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft. This process is crucial for neurotransmission and helps terminate the action of acetylcholine after it has been released into the synaptic space. When acetylcholine is released from the presynaptic neuron, it binds to receptors on the postsynaptic neuron, facilitating nerve impulse transmission. Once the signal is completed, acetylcholinesterase hydrolyzes acetylcholine into choline and acetate, effectively stopping the signal and preventing continuous stimulation of the postsynaptic receptor. This rapid breakdown is vital for proper muscle contraction and nerve signaling, ensuring that communication between neurons is efficient and correctly regulated.

The other options pertain to different functions: acetylcholine synthase is involved in the synthesis of acetylcholine, choline acetyltransferase is responsible for transferring an acetyl group to choline to create acetylcholine, and monoamine oxidase is involved in the breakdown of monoamines, not acetylcholine. Each has a distinct role in the broader context of neurotransmitter function, but only acetylcholinesterase plays a direct role in the degradation of acetylcholine itself.