Final answer:
Nerve agents disrupt the transmission of messages between nerves and organs. Treatment involves using an anticholinergic to manage symptoms and an oxime as an antidote. Military personnel are provided with an autoinjector for easy administration.
Step-by-step explanation:
Nerve agents are a class of organic chemicals that disrupt the mechanisms by which nerves transfer messages to organs. They block the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which breaks down acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter. Treatment for exposure to nerve agents involves using a combination of an anticholinergic to manage symptoms and an oxime as an antidote.
The anticholinergic reduces the effects of acetylcholine, while the oxime removes phosphate molecules from the active site of the cholinesterase enzymes. Military personnel are issued this combination in an autoinjector for ease of use.