Which type of substances depress the central nervous system?

• A. Neurotoxin
• B. Anesthetic substances
• C. Hepatotoxin
• D. Corrosive substances

Answer: (B)

Central nervous system depressants slow brain activity and dampen neural signaling. Anesthetic substances fit this category because they suppress CNS activity to block sensation or consciousness. In workplace contexts, exposure to anesthetics can cause dizziness, slowed reflexes, and, at higher levels, respiratory depression, so proper ventilation and monitoring are important.

Hepatotoxins primarily injure the liver, corrosives cause tissue damage on contact, and neurotoxins primarily affect nerve cells in ways that aren’t defined as general CNS depression. That’s why anesthetic substances are the correct type for depressant effects on the CNS.