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Article: Neurotransmitters
- Article from:
- World of Forensic Science
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Thomson Gale. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Neurotransmitters
The forensic investigation of an accident or death is not always aided by the presence of physically obvious signs, such as a stab wound or gunshot wound. Injury or death inflicted by toxic agents may have less subtle physical effects.
Toxins
can interfere with the normal physiological functions of the body. Then, their presence is forensically evident by a physiological change in the norm. One example is agents that disrupt the action of neurotransmitters.
Neurotransmitters are chemicals released in minute amounts from the terminals of nerve cells in response to the arrival of an action potential. There are now more than 300 known neurotransmitters and they act ...