Final answer:
Anticholinesterase agents increase muscle tone by preventing the breakdown of acetylcholine, which increases muscle contraction; hence, the statement is true. Botox decreases muscle tone by preventing acetylcholine release, which is contrary to the action of anticholinesterase agents. For atropine poisoning, a muscarinic agonist would serve as an antidote.
Step-by-step explanation:
Anticholinesterase agents do indeed increase muscle tone; so the answer is true. These medications work by inhibiting the enzyme acetylcholinesterase. By doing so, they prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that promotes muscle contraction. This leads to increased levels of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction, thereby enhancing muscular contraction and increasing muscle tone.
In the context of Botox, it's important to clarify that Botox decreases the release of acetylcholine from motor neurons, rather than affecting the production of acetylcholinesterase or calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. By preventing acetylcholine release, Botox actually causes muscle relaxation, which is the opposite effect of anticholinesterase agents.
Regarding the antidote for atropine poisoning, it would be a muscarinic agonist since atropine is a muscarinic antagonist.