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
Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 14 Sep. 2024
Climate & Environment Outbreak of neurotoxin killing unprecedented number of sea lions along California coast
Aug. 11, 2024
With roughly 1,100 dairy herds in California — and 90% located in the San Joaquin Valley — concern is palpable, say industry insiders.
—Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2024
Hu said the evidence clearly shows fluoride is a neurotoxin, at least for a developing brain.
—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
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“Neurotoxin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/neurotoxin. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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neurotoxin
noun
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