B15-Schizophrenia, Affective Disorders and Anxiety Disorders

Question 1

schizophrenia

Answer 1

A serious mental disorder characterized by disordered thoughts, delusions, hallucinations, and often bizarre behaviors.

Question 2

positive symptom

Answer 2

A symptom of schizophrenia evident by its presence; delusions, hallucinations, or thought disorders.

Question 3

thought disorder

Answer 3

Disorganized, irrational thinking.

Question 4

delusion

Answer 4

A belief that is clearly in contradiction to reality.

Question 5

hallucinatiom

Answer 5

Perception of a nonexistent object or event.

Question 6

negative symptom

Answer 6

A symptom of schizophrenia characterized by the absence of behaviors that are normally present; social withdrawal, lack of affect, and reduced motivation.

Question 7

cognitive symptom

Answer 7

A symptom of schizophrenia characterized by cognitive difficulities, such as deficits in learning and memory, poor abstract thinking, and poor problem solving.

Question 8

epidemiology

Answer 8

The study of the distribution and causes of diseases in populations.

Question 9

seasonality effect

Answer 9

The increased incidence of schizophrenia in people born during late winter and early spring.

Question 10

hypofrontality

Answer 10

Decreased activity of the prefrontal cortex; believed to be responsible for the negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

Question 11

partial agonist

Answer 11

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.

Question 12

major affective disorder

Answer 12

A serious mood disorder; includes unipolar depression and bipolar disorder.

Question 13

bipolar disorder

Answer 13

A serious mood disorder characterized by cyclical periods of mania and depression.

Question 14

major depressive disorder (MDD)

Answer 14

A serious mood disorder that consists of unremitting depression or periods of depression that do not alternate with periods of mania.

Question 15

tricyclic antidepressant

Answer 15

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.

Question 16

specific serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)

Answer 16

An antidepressant drug that specifically inhibits the reuptake of serotonin without affecting the reuptake of other neurotransmitters.

Question 17

serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI)

Answer 17

An antidepressant drug that specifically inhibits the reuptake of norepinephrine and serotonin without affecting the reuptake of other neurotransmitters.

Question 18

electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

Answer 18

A brief electrical shock, applied to the head, that results in an electrical seizure; used therapeutically to alleviate severe depression.

Question 19

subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (subgenual ACC)

Answer 19

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.

Question 20

lithium

Answer 20

A chemical element; lithium carbonate is used to treat bipolar disorder.

Question 21

monoamine hypothesis

Answer 21

A hypothesis that states that depression is caused by a low level of activity of one or more monoaminergic synapses.

Question 22

tryptophan depletion procedure

Answer 22

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.

Question 23

seasonal affective disorder

Answer 23

A mood disorder characterized by depression, lethargy, sleep disturbances, and craving for carbohydrates during the winter season when days are short.

Question 24

phototherapy

Answer 24

Treatment of seasonal affective disorder by daily exposure to bright light.

Question 25

anxiety disorder

Answer 25

A psychological disorder characterized by tension, overactivity of the autonomic nervous system, expectation of an impending disaster, and continuous vigilance for danger.

Question 26

panic disorder

Answer 26

A disorder characterized by episodic periods of symptoms such as shortness of breath, irregularities in heartbeat, and other autonomic symptoms, accompanied by intense fear.

Question 27

anticipatory anxiety

Answer 27

A fear of having a panic attack; may lead to the development of agoraphobia.

Question 28

agoraphobia

Answer 28

A fear of being away from home or other protected places.

Question 29

generalized anxiety disorder

Answer 29

A disorder characterized by excessive anxiety and worry serious enough to cause disruption of their lives.

Question 30

social anxiety disorder

Answer 30

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.

Question 31

obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

Answer 31

A mental disorder characterized by obsessions and compulsions.

Question 32

obsession

Answer 32

An unwanted thought or idea with which a person is preoccupied.

Question 33

compulsion

Answer 33

The feeling that one is obliged to perform a behavior, even if one prefers not to do so.

Question 34

cingulotomy

Answer 34

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.