Author: Glossary
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Lexapro
Brand name for the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) drug escitalopram oxalate.
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Lewy body dementia (LBD)
A progressive brain disease and the second leading cause of degenerative dementia in the elderly, characterized anatomically by the presence of Lewy bodies. Core features of LBD include fluctuating cognition, recurrent visual hallucinations, and motor features of parkinsonism. The loss of cholinergic neurons is thought to account for the degradation of cognitive functioning, as in…
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Lewy bodies
Abnormal aggregates of protein that develop inside nerve cells in parkinson’s disease and alzheimer’s disease. Lewy bodies are identified under the microscope when histology is performed on the postmortem brain. Regions of damage observed in impaired nerve cells within specific brain areas linked to major neurocognitive disorder.
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Leukodystrophy
A group of disorders characterized by progressive degeneration of the white matter of the brain, caused by genetic defects in the growth or development of myelin, the fatty covering that acts as an insulator around nerve fibers. Leukodystrophy refers to a group of progressive genetic disorders that affect the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves.…
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Leukoaraiosis
A radiological finding of changes in the white matter in aged individuals that can be detected with high frequency by computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This white matter pathology is inconsistently associated with cognitive impairment, motor dysfunction, and gait disturbances. Slowed cognitive processing and frontal executive abilities are also common. It may…
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Lethologica
Temporary inability to remember a proper noun or name.
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Lethality index
Set of criteria used to predict suicide.
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Lesch-nyhan syndrome
A rare, genetic neurological disorder characterized by self-mutilating behaviors such as head banging and/or lip and finger biting, uncontrolled spastic muscle movements, and involuntary movements of the upper extremities. Moderate intellectual disability is also common. A relatively rare genetic disease characterized by mental retardation and compulsive self-mutilation accompanied by uremia. A rare genetic disorder in boys…
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Lesbian
A female who is homosexual. A woman who experiences sexual attraction towards other women. A female homosexual; lesbians form about 2 per cent of the female population in the UK. Some engage in active sexual behaviour with another woman, with masturbation, mutual stimulation of the clitoris and oral sex being the usual techniques for achieving…
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Lentiform nucleus
The large, cone-shaped mass of gray matter that forms the central core of the cerebral hemisphere, whose convex base is formed by the putamen and whose apical part consists of the globus pallidus. Also called lenticular nucleus.