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
Scott Travers, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
But indeed, that’s the blue-ringed octopus, one of several shallow-dwelling species harboring a neurotoxin in its saliva with the capability of paralyzing muscles – an effect that could, if left unaddressed, lead to fatal consequences.
—Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 16 Dec. 2024
Lead is a potent neurotoxin that is particularly harmful for children, whose learning, mental development, and physical development can be stunted by the element.
—Kaitlin Sullivan, Health, 21 Oct. 2024
The tiny bristles are filled with a mixture of neurotoxins and break off when touched.
—Brandi D. Addison, Austin American-Statesman, 27 Aug. 2024
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“Neurotoxin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/neurotoxin. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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neurotoxin
noun
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