Chapter 9 - Eating disorders Flashcards
Anorexia nervosa
Eating disorder in which the individual is significantly below a bodyweight that is normal for his/her age and height and suffers from a fear of gaining weight and from body image disturbance.
Bulimia nervosa
Eating disorder in which the individual engages in recurrent binge-eating episodes and compensatory behaviours (such as self-induced vomiting, abuse of laxatives and excessive exersice) designed to prevent weight gain.
Binge eating episode
An instance of disordered eating characterised by eating an excessive amount of food, accompanied by a sense of lack of control over eating.
Binge eating disorder
Eating disorder in which the individual engages in recurrent binge eating episodes but does not engage in compensatory behaviours (such as self-induced vomiting) designed to counteract the caloric intake.
Tube feeding
Practice of feeding a patient via a tube in the case of patients who are unable or refuse to obtain nutrition by swallowing; in the case of severely malnourished patients with anorexia nervosa, a nasogastric tube may be used, which entails a plastic tube being inserted through the nose and throat into the stomach.
Barium swallow
A test that is used to determine the cause of difficulty with swallowing. The patient drinks a preparation containing barium sulphate, which is a metallic compound that shows up on X-rays and is used to see abnormalities in the oesophagus and stomach.
Amphetamines
Stimulant drugs that can produce symptoms of euphoria, self-confidence, alertness, agitation, paranoia, perceptual illusions and depression.
Heritability
Percentage indicating the degree to which genes contribute to the development of a disorder.
Concordance rate
Probability that both members of a twin pair will develop the same disorder.
Monozygotic twins
Identical twins who share 100 per cent of their genes because they developed from a single fertilised egg.
Dizygotic twins
Non-identical twins who share with each other on average 50 per cent of their genes because they developed from two separate fertilised eggs.
Neuroimaging
Range of techniques to image the structure and/or functioning of the brain such as computerised tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.
Sociocultural approach
Theories that focus on interpersonal relationships, culture and social institutions to understand the cause of abnormality.
Incidence
Number of new cases of a specific disorder that develop during a specific period of time.
Inpatient treatment
Treatment that entails the patient being hospitalised.
day-patient treatment
Type of treatment where individuals with psychological disorders attend the treatment setting during the day but return home at night.
Outpatient treatment
Treatment received at a hospital or clinic but where the patient is not hospitalised.
Motivational enhancement therapy (MET)
Type of psychological treatment that aims to increase the client’s intrinsic motivation to change.
Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)
Type of psychological treatment that combines both cognitive and behavioural concepts and techniques.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
Class of antidepressant drugs (such as fluoxetine) that inhibit the reuptake of serotonin.
Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)
Class of antidepressant drugs such as imipramine and amitriptyline.
Neuroleptics
Drugs used to treat psychotic symptoms.
Affect
Experience of feeling or emotion.
Hypertension
Condition in which the blood supply through the blood vessels is excessive and is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke (also known as high blood preassure)
