How deadly VX nerve agent kills

VX nerve agent was used to kill Kim Jong Nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. VX blocks chemical signals transmitted between nerves to muscles, causing paralysis and respiratory failure

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Feb 13: CCTV footage from Kuala Lumpur International Airport shows woman grabbing Kim from behind and pushing cloth in his face

1. Muscle movement 

Brain sends electrical signal to muscles via nerve cells

Signal travels along axon to synapse

Nerve cell

Axon

2. Synapse 

Electrical signal is transmitted from nerve-ending to stimulate muscle contraction

3. Transmitter Chemical called acetylcholine (ACh) acts as transmitter, passing signal from nerve-ending to muscle cells

Muscle cells

Receptor

4. Acetylcholine 

ACh binds to muscle cell receptor for a split second – triggers muscle contraction

5. Hydrolysis 

ACh is broken down by enzyme, Acetylcholinesterase (AChE), to non-reactive acetic acid and choline, a vitamin. Action of ACh stops and muscle relaxes

6. Nerve agent 

Stops AchE breaking down ACh, allowing it to build up and continually stimulate muscles. VX causes convulsive spasms, coma and death

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Source: Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons 

Picture: Associated Press 

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