B15-Schizophrenia, Affective Disorders and Anxiety Disorders Flashcards
schizophrenia
A serious mental disorder characterized by disordered thoughts, delusions, hallucinations, and often bizarre behaviors.
positive symptom
A symptom of schizophrenia evident by its presence; delusions, hallucinations, or thought disorders.
thought disorder
Disorganized, irrational thinking.
delusion
A belief that is clearly in contradiction to reality.
hallucinatiom
Perception of a nonexistent object or event.
negative symptom
A symptom of schizophrenia characterized by the absence of behaviors that are normally present; social withdrawal, lack of affect, and reduced motivation.
cognitive symptom
A symptom of schizophrenia characterized by cognitive difficulities, such as deficits in learning and memory, poor abstract thinking, and poor problem solving.
epidemiology
The study of the distribution and causes of diseases in populations.
seasonality effect
The increased incidence of schizophrenia in people born during late winter and early spring.
hypofrontality
Decreased activity of the prefrontal cortex; believed to be responsible for the negative symptoms of schizophrenia.
partial agonist
A drug that has a very high affinity for a particular receptor but activates that receptor less than the normal ligand does; serves as an agonist in regions of low concentration of the normal ligand ad as a antagonist in regions of high concentrations.
major affective disorder
A serious mood disorder; includes unipolar depression and bipolar disorder.
bipolar disorder
A serious mood disorder characterized by cyclical periods of mania and depression.
major depressive disorder (MDD)
A serious mood disorder that consists of unremitting depression or periods of depression that do not alternate with periods of mania.
tricyclic antidepressant
A class of drugs used to treat depression; inhibits the reuptake of norepinephrine and serotonin but also affects other neurotransmitters; named for the molecular structure.
specific serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)
An antidepressant drug that specifically inhibits the reuptake of serotonin without affecting the reuptake of other neurotransmitters.
serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI)
An antidepressant drug that specifically inhibits the reuptake of norepinephrine and serotonin without affecting the reuptake of other neurotransmitters.
electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
A brief electrical shock, applied to the head, that results in an electrical seizure; used therapeutically to alleviate severe depression.
subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (subgenual ACC)
A region of the medial prefrontal cortex located below the “knee” at the front of the corpus callosum; plays a role in the symptoms of depression.
lithium
A chemical element; lithium carbonate is used to treat bipolar disorder.
monoamine hypothesis
A hypothesis that states that depression is caused by a low level of activity of one or more monoaminergic synapses.
tryptophan depletion procedure
A procedure involving a low-tryptophan diet and a tryptophan-free amino acid “cocktail” that lowers brain tryptophan and consequently decreases the synthesis of 5-HT.
seasonal affective disorder
A mood disorder characterized by depression, lethargy, sleep disturbances, and craving for carbohydrates during the winter season when days are short.
phototherapy
Treatment of seasonal affective disorder by daily exposure to bright light.
anxiety disorder
A psychological disorder characterized by tension, overactivity of the autonomic nervous system, expectation of an impending disaster, and continuous vigilance for danger.
panic disorder
A disorder characterized by episodic periods of symptoms such as shortness of breath, irregularities in heartbeat, and other autonomic symptoms, accompanied by intense fear.
anticipatory anxiety
A fear of having a panic attack; may lead to the development of agoraphobia.
agoraphobia
A fear of being away from home or other protected places.
generalized anxiety disorder
A disorder characterized by excessive anxiety and worry serious enough to cause disruption of their lives.
social anxiety disorder
A disorder characterized by excessive fear of being exposed to the scrutiny of other people that leads to avoidance of social situations in which the person is called on to perform.
obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
A mental disorder characterized by obsessions and compulsions.
obsession
An unwanted thought or idea with which a person is preoccupied.
compulsion
The feeling that one is obliged to perform a behavior, even if one prefers not to do so.
cingulotomy
The surgical destruction of the cingulum bundle, which connects the prefrontal cortex with the limbic system; helps to reduce intense anxiety and the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
