Autoneurotoxin

/ˌɔːtəˌnjʊərəʊˈtɒksɪn/ noun

Definition

A toxic substance produced by the body itself that damages nerve tissue, usually as a result of disease or abnormal metabolism.

Etymology

From Greek autos (self) + neuron (nerve) + toxikon (poison). A medical term combining three Greek roots to describe self-generated nerve poisons produced during certain pathological conditions.

Kelly Says

Your own body can literally poison its own nervous system—this happens in some autoimmune diseases where the immune system goes rogue and produces substances that attack nerves. It's like a cellular civil war where defenders become the aggressors.

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