Case Study Organophosphate Poisoning

John has a number of prize apple trees in his backyard. Toprevent them from becoming infested with insects, he sprayed themwith an organophosphate insecticide. He was in a rush to spray thetrees before leaving town on vacation, and he failed to payattention to the safety precautions on the packaging. He sprayedthe trees without using any skin or respiratory protection. Soon heexperienced severe stomach cramps, double vision, difficultybreathing, and was diagnosed with organophosphate poisoning. Whilein the emergency room, his physician administered a drug, and soonmany of john’s symptoms subsided.

Organophosphate insecticides exert their effects by binding tothe enzyme acetylcholinesterase within synaptic clefts, renderingit ineffective. Thus, the organophosphate poison and acetylcholine“compete” for the acetylcholinesterase as the organophosphatepoison increases in concentration the enzyme is less effective indegrading acetylcholine. Organophosphate poisons affect synapses inwhich ACh is the neurotransmitter, including skeletal musclesynapses and some smooth muscle synapses, such as the wall of thestomach, intestines, and air passageways.

Question:
Explain the spastic contractions that occurred in John’s skeletalmuscles. Include the function of this enzyme in normal musclecontractions, how increases in acetylcholine and lessacetylcholinesterase affects skeletal muscle, what would happen ifJohn did not get to the hospital and why this would happen. Toanswer this question fully you will write at least a paragraph.