Final answer:
Muscarine poisoning increases signaling by the parasympathetic nervous system, causing symptoms like excessive sweating and slowed heart rate. Muscarine mimics acetylcholine, leading to overstimulation, which can be managed with anticholinergic drugs like atropine.
Step-by-step explanation:
Muscarine poisoning causes various symptoms such as excessive sweating, constriction of the airways, slowed heart rate, stomach cramps, and diarrhea by increasing the amount of signaling by the parasympathetic nervous system. Drugs that affect the autonomic system can either enhance or block signals within the sympathetic or parasympathetic systems. Muscarine mimics the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, leading to overstimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for rest and digest activities. This contrasts with nerve agents like Sarin, which inhibit acetylcholinesterase resulting in an overload of acetylcholine and continuous nerve impulses, affecting both muscarinic and nicotinic receptors and leading to muscle contractions that do not stop.
Anticholinergic drugs like atropine can be used to manage symptoms of nerve agent poisoning, as they block muscarinic receptors and reduce the effects of overactivation of the parasympathetic nervous system.