Discuss how organophosphates affect neuromuscular junctions
What will be an ideal response?
Organophosphates are a group of chemicals that modify neuromuscular junction activity by irreversibly inhibiting AChE. Inhibition of AChE prevents the inactivation of released ACh. Death from organophosphates results from respiratory failure because the diaphragm remains in a depolarization block and cannot repolarize and return to resting conditions then be stimulated to contract again to bring in a fresh breath of air. In addition to organophosphates' lethal action at nicotinic receptors of respiratory muscles, other symptoms occur related to the effect of ACh buildup at muscarinic receptors, such as drooling, pupillary constriction, vomiting, and diarrhea, as well as from ACh overstimulation in the brain, which can lead to seizures. These toxic agents are used in some pesticides and as military nerve gases.
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