Science of Conflict
How do nerve agents work?
Nerves communicate with different parts of the body through chemical substances known as neurotransmitters.
Click to find out more about nerves.
Science of Conflict How do nerve agents work? |
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Nerves communicate with different parts of the body through chemical substances known as neurotransmitters. Click to find out more about nerves. |
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| Muscles are stimulated by nerves via a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. This chemical is released into the synapse and binds with receptors on the surface of the muscle where it causes a muscular contraction to take place. Soon after the acetylcholine is destroyed by a chemical called acetylcholinesterase. The muscle is no longer stimulated and relaxes. | |
| Nerve agents stop the ability of acetylcholinesterase to destroy acetylcholine and cause the muscle to relax. As a result acetylcholine lingers on the receptor and continues to excite the muscle, as shown on the right. This causes a lack of muscular control and eventually the organism dies of suffocation. | |