neurotropic

[ noor-uh-trop-ik, -troh-pik, nyoor- ]

adjective

, Medicine/Medical.

1. having an affinity for nerve cells or tissue:

   a neurotropic virus; a neurotropic drug.

Word History and Origins

Origin of neurotropic¹

First recorded in 1900–05; neuro- + -tropic

Example Sentences

And nearly all of the viral-disease pairings involved “neurotropic” viruses—those that can invade the central nervous system, such as herpes simplex and herpes zoster and some strains of influenza.

From Science Magazine

Our research team has overcome this challenge by using neurotropic viruses, which specifically target neurons, as transneuronal tracers.

From Scientific American

Changes in vital signs and in neuroendocrine, neurotropic and inflammatory biomarkers could yield insights that are unavailable to clinicians today.

From Nature

Officials say the strain confirmed in the horse was the neurotropic form of EHV-1, which can cause severe neurological problems in horses.

From Washington Times

Chan said the WHO can now conclude that the virus is neurotropic, meaning it attacks the nervous system, "preferentially affecting tissues in the brain and brain stem of the developing fetus."

From Washington Post