Types of Toxic Effects
Many chemicals distribute in the body and often affect only specific target organs.
However, other chemicals can damage any cell or tissue it contacts. The target organs affected may vary depending on dosage and route of exposure. For example, the central nervous system may be the target organ for toxicity from a chemical after acute exposure (sudden and severe exposure), whereas the liver may be affected only after chronic exposures (exposure occurring over a specific period).
Chemicals can cause many types of toxicity by a variety of mechanisms.
- Immediate effects: Most chemicals cause toxic effects that develop rapidly after a single administration.
- Delayed effects: Some effects, such as carcinogenic effects, have a long latency period.
- Local effects: Some act locally such as when direct exposure triggers skin or eye irritation,
- Systemic effects: Other chemicals cause systemic effects in the body in sites remote from where the actual exposure occurred.
- Reversible effects: If the toxic effects occur in tissue that can regenerate, such as in the liver, the effects may be reversible.
- Irreversible effects: If the toxic effects occur in tissue that cannot regenerate, such as in the central nervous system (CNS), the effects may be irreversible.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
4-8. If the toxic effects of chemical exposure occur in tissue that cannot regenerate, such as in the central nervous system (CNS), what might be the final outcome?
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