Sympathetic nerve terminal innervating sweat gland

Sympathetic nerve terminals innervating sweat glands are specialized postganglionic sympathetic neurons that, uniquely among sympathetic fibers, release acetylcholine, which acts on muscarinic receptors in eccrine sweat glands to induce sweating. This cholinergic mechanism is central to thermoregulatory sweating in humans[2][4][6][3]. Dysregulation or malfunction of these nerve terminals can cause sweating disorders such as hyperhidrosis or hypohidrosis. They are not themselves a drug target in the way that a specific protein or receptor would be, but the molecular targets they interact with (for example, muscarinic acetylcholine receptors or presynaptic proteins regulating neurotransmitter release) are established therapeutic targets for the treatment of sweating disorders[6][3][4].

Other names

Sympathetic sudomotor nerve terminalCholinergic sympathetic nerve ending (sweat gland)Postganglionic sympathetic cholinergic nerve (sweat gland)

Blockade of acetylcholine release (botulinum toxin); Muscarinic receptor antagonism (anticholinergics)