neurotoxin
noun
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The nervous system is almost all-powerful in the body: all five senses depend on it, as do breathing, digestion, and the heart. So it's an obvious target for poisons, and neurotoxins have developed as weapons in many animals, including snakes, bees, and spiders. Some wasps use a neurotoxin to paralyze their prey so that it can be stored alive to be eaten later. Snake venom is often neurotoxic (as in cobras and coral snakes, for example), though it may instead be hemotoxic (as in rattlesnakes and coppermouths), operating on the circulatory system. Artificial neurotoxins, called nerve agents, have been developed by scientists as means of chemical warfare; luckily, few have ever been used.
Examples of neurotoxin in a Sentence
Kaitlin Sullivan, Health, 23 Oct. 2024
As with any neurotoxin injection, it’s advised to avoid lying down for about three to four hours afterwards to ensure the neurotoxin doesn’t migrate.
—Taryn Brooke, Allure, 12 Sep. 2024
Lead is a neurotoxin that can harm brain functions, especially in children, The Courier Journal previously reported.
—Leo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 10 Jan. 2024
Climate & Environment Outbreak of neurotoxin killing unprecedented number of sea lions along California coast
Aug. 11, 2024
Steve Lyle, a spokesman for the state’s agriculture department, said none of the affected farms are raw milk farms.
—Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2024
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“Neurotoxin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/neurotoxin. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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neurotoxin
noun
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