Question | Answer |
anorexia | loss of appetite for food |
antipsychotics | drugs that are used to treat schizophrenia; reduce symptoms of hallucinations, delusions, and thought disorders; also called neuroleptics |
anxiety | a state of uneasiness characterized by apprehension and worry about possible events |
autism | a disorder that first appears in childhood, characterized by repetitive behavior and impairment in social interaction and communication; it can be expressed through mood swings, irritability, tantrums, aggression, and self-injury |
bipolar disorder | a condition in which a patient presents with mood swings that alternate between periods of major depression and periods of mild to severe chronic agitation |
cataplexy | short periods of muscle weakness and loss of muscle tone associated with sudden emotions such as joy, fear, or anger; a symptom of narcolepsy |
delirium tremens (DTs) | a condition caused by cessation of alcohol consumption in which coarse, irregular tremors are accompanied by vivid hallucinations |
depression | a condition characterized by the feeling that life has no meaning, pessimism, intense sadness, loss of concentration, and problems with eating and sleeping |
endogenous anxiety | anxiety caused by factors within the organism |
exogenous anxiety | anxiety caused by factors outside the organism |
extrapyramidal symptoms | disorders of muscle movement control caused by blocking dopamine receptors in the basal ganglia |
ghost | empty shell of an OROS tablet, excreted in the stool after the drug has dissolved |
hypnotic | a drug that induces sleep |
insomnia | difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep or not feeling refreshed on awakening |
mania | a mood of extreme excitement, excessive elation, hyperactivity, agitation, and increased psychomotor activity |
monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOIs) | an antidepressant drug that inhibits the activity of the enzymes that break down catecholamines (such as norepinephrine) and serotonin |
narcolepsy | a sleep disorder in which inappropriate attacks of sleep occur during the daytime hours |
neuroleptics | drugs that are used to treat schizophrenia; reduce symptoms of hallucinations, delusions, and thought disorders |
neurotransmitter | a chemical produced by a nerve cell and involved in transmitting information in the body |
obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) | a mental disorder characterized by recurrent, persistent urges to perform repetitive acts such as hand washing |
osmotic-controlled release oral delivery system (OROS) | a drug delivery system that allows the drug to dissolve through pores in the tablet shell; the empty shell, called a ghost, is passed in the stool |
panic | intense, overwhelming, and uncontrollable anxiety |
priapism | bnormal penile erection |
posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) | a disorder characterized by persistent agitation or persistent, recurrent fear after the end of a traumatic event and lasting for over a month or impairing work or relationships |
QT interval | the time between depolarization and repolarization of the ventricles of the heart during a heartbeat, as shown on the electrocardiogram |
seasonal affective disorder (SAD) | a form of depression that recurs in the fall and winter and remits in the spring and summer |
schizophrenia | a chronic psychotic disorder manifested by retreat from reality, delusions, hallucinations, ambivalence, withdrawal, and bizarre or regressive behavior |
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) | an antidepressant drug that blocksthe reuptake of serotonin, with little effect on norepinephrine and fewer side effects than other antidepressant drugs |
serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) | an antidepressant drug that blocks the reabsorption of both serotonin and norepinephrine, increasing the levels of both neurotransmitters |
serotonin syndrome | a possibly fatal condition caused by combining antidepressants that increase serotonin levels with other medications that also stimulate serotonin receptors |
tardive dyskinesia | involuntary movements of the mouth, lips, and tongue |
tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) | one of a class of antidepressant drug, developed earlier than the SSRIs and SNRIs, that also prevent neuron reuptake of norepinephrine and/or serotonin |
unipolar depression | major depression with no mania |