16 - Psychopathology: Biological Basis of Behavioral Disorders Flashcards
Delusion
A false believe strongly held in spite of contrary evidence
Epidemiology
The statistical study of patterns of disease in a population
Schizophrenia
A severe psychopathology characterized by negative symptoms such as emotional withdrawal and impoverished thought, and by positive symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions
Dissociative thinking
A condition, seen in schizophrenia that is characterized by disturbances of thought and difficulty relating events properly
Positive symptom
In psychiatry, an abnormal state. Examples include hallucinations, delusions, and excited motor behavior
Negative symptom
In psychiatry, a symptom that reflects insufficient functioning. Examples include emotional and social withdrawal, blunted affect, and slowness and impoverishment of thought and speech
Monozygotic
Referring to twins derived from a single fertilized egg (identical twins). Such individuals have the same genotype
Dizygotic
Referring to twins derived from separate eggs (fraternal twins). Such twins are no more closely related genetically than are other full siblings
Concordant
Referring to any trait that is seen in both individuals of a pair of twins
Discordant
Referring to any trait that is seen in only one individual of a pair of twins
Hypofrontality hypothesis
The hypothesis that schizophrenia may reflect underactivation of the frontal lobes
Amphetamine psychosis
A delusional and psychotic state, closely resembling acute schizophrenia, that is brought on by repeated use of high doses of amphetamine
Chlorpromazine
An antipsychotic drug, one of the class of phenothiazines
Phenothiazines
A class of antipsychotic drugs that reduce the positive symptoms of schizophrenia
Neuroleptics or antipsychotics
A class of drugs that alleviate symptoms of schizophrenia, typically by blocking dopamine receptors
Typical neuroleptics
A major class of anti-schizophrenic drugs that share an antagonist activity at dopamine D2 receptors
Dopamine hypothesis
The hypothesis that schizophrenia results from excessive levels of synaptic dopamine or excessive postsynaptic sensitivity to dopamine
Dyskinesia
Difficulty or distortion in voluntary movement
Tardive dyskinesia
A disorder characterized by involuntary movements, especially involving the face, mouth, lips, and tongue; related to prolonged use of antipsychotic drugs, such as chlorpromazine
Supersensitivity psychosis
An exaggerated psychosis that may emerge when doses of antipsychotic medication are reduced, probably as a consequence of the up-regulation of receptors that occurred during drug treatment
Atypical neuroleptics
A class of antischizophrenic drugs that have actions other than the dopamine D2 receptor antagonism that characterizes the typical neuroleptics
Clozapine
An atypical neuroleptic
Phencyclidine (PCP)
Also called angel dust. An anesthetic agent that is also a psychedelic drug. PCP makes many people feel dissociated from themselves and their environment
Psychotomimetic
A drug that induces a state resembling schizophrenia
Glutamate hypothesis
The hypothesis that schizophrenia may be caused, in part, by under-stimulation of glutamate receptors
Depression
A psychiatric condition characterized by such symptoms as an unhappy mood; loss of interests, energy, and appetite; and difficulty concentrating
Unipolar depression
Depression that alternates with normal emotional states
Electroconvulsive shock therapy (ECT)
A last-resort treatment for intractable depression in which a strong electrical current is passed through the brain, causing a seizure
Monoamine oxidase (MAO)
An enzyme that breaks down and thereby inactivates monoamine transmitters
Reserpine
A drug that causes the depletion of monoamines and can lead to depression
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)
A drug that blocks the reuptake of transmitter at serotonergic synapses; commonly used to treat depression
Deep brain simulation
Mild electrical stimulation through an electrode that is surgically implanted deep in the brain
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Psychotherapy aimed at correcting negative thinking and improving interpersonal relationships
Cushing’s syndrome
A condition in which levels of adrenal glucocorticoids are abnormally high
Postpartum depression
A bout of depression that afflicts a woman either immediately before or after giving birth
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
A depression putatively brought about by the short days of winter
Learned helplessness
A learning paradigm in which individuals are subjected to inescapable, unpleasant conditions
Bipolar disorder
Also called manic-depressive illness. A psychiatric disorder characterized by periods of depression that alternate with excessive, expansive moods
Lithium
An element that, administered to patients, often relieves the symptoms of bipolar disorder
Phobic disorder
An intense, irrational fear that become centered on a specific object, activity, or situation that a person feels compelled to avoid
Anxiety disorder
Any of a class of psychological disorders that include recurrent panic states, generalized persistent anxiety disorders, and posttraumatic stress disorders
Benzodiazepines
A class of anti anxiety drugs that bind with high affinity to receptor molecules in the central nervous system. One example is diazepam (Valium).
Anxiolytics
A class of substances that are used to combat anxiety. Examples include alcohol, opiates, barbiturates, and the benzodiazepines.
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Formerly called combat fatigue, war neurosis, or shell shock. A disorder in which memories of an unpleasant episode repeatedly plague the victim
Fear conditioning
A form of learning in which fear comes to be associated with a previously neutral stimulus
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
A syndrome in which the affected individual engages in recurring, repetitive acts that are carried out without rhyme, reason, or the ability to stop
Co-morbid
Referring to the tendency of certain diseases or disorders to occur together in individuals
Tourette’s syndrome
A heightened sensitivity to tactile, auditory, and visual stimuli that may be accompanied by the buildup of an urge to emit verbal or phonic tics
Psychosurgery
Surgery in which brain lesions are produced to modify severe psychiatric disorders
Lobotomy
The detachment of a portion of the frontal lobe from the rest of the brain, once used as a treatment for schizophrenia and many other ailments
Prion
A protein that can become improperly folded and thereby can induce other proteins to follow suit, leading to long protein chains that impair neural function
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)
Mad cow disease, a disorder caused by improperly formed prion proteins, leading to dementia and death
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)
A brain disorder in humans, leading to dementia and death, that is caused by improperly folded prion proteins; the human equivalent of mad cow disease
