Eimar, HTamimi, IMurshed, MTamimi, F2014-02-142014-02-142013-06Eimar H, Tamimi I, Murshed M, Tamimi F. Cholinergic regulation of bone. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. 2013; 13(2):124-321108-7161http://hdl.handle.net/10668/1503Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Review;Bone remodeling is regulated by the two branches of the autonomic nervous system: the adrenergic and the cholinergic branches. Adrenergic activity favors bone loss, whereas cholinergic activity has been recently shown to favor bone mass accrual. In vitro studies have reported that cholinergic activity induces proliferation and differentiation of bone cells. In vivo studies have shown that the inhibition of cholinergic activity favors bone loss, whereas its stimulation favors bone mass accrual. Clinical studies have shown that bone density is associated with the function of many cholinergic-regulated tissues such as the hypothalamus, salivary glands, lacrimal glands and langerhans cells, suggesting a common mechanism of control. Altogether, these observations and linked findings are of great significance since they improve our understanding of bone physiology. These discoveries have been successfully used recently to investigate new promising therapies for bone diseases based on cholinergic stimulation. Here, we review the current understanding of the cholinergic activity and its association with bone health.enCholinergicParasympathetic Nervous SystemBoneAcetylcholineOsteoporosisVías autónomasRemodelación ÓseaSistema nervioso centralHumanosMedical Subject Headings::Phenomena and Processes::Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena::Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena::Musculoskeletal Physiological Processes::Bone RemodelingMedical Subject Headings::Anatomy::Musculoskeletal System::Skeleton::Bone and BonesMedical Subject Headings::Anatomy::Nervous System::Central Nervous SystemMedical Subject Headings::Organisms::Eukaryota::Animals::Chordata::Vertebrates::Mammals::Primates::Haplorhini::Catarrhini::Hominidae::HumansMedical Subject Headings::Diseases::Musculoskeletal Diseases::Bone Diseases::Bone Diseases, Metabolic::OsteoporosisMedical Subject Headings::Anatomy::Nervous System::Peripheral Nervous System::Autonomic Nervous System::Parasympathetic Nervous SystemMedical Subject Headings::Anatomy::Nervous System::Peripheral Nervous System::Autonomic Nervous System::Autonomic Pathwaysresearch article23728099open access1108-7161