Author: Glossary

A creative synthesis of a clinical case, drawing on elements from the levels of biology, psychology, and sociology and expressed chronologically. It allows the clinician to get a comprehensive picture of the physical, mental, and environmental influences on a patient’s health.  

Cyclical variations in physiological and biochemical function, level of activity, and emotional state. Circadian rhythms have a cycle of about 24 hours, ultradian rhythms have a cycle that is shorter than 1 day, and infradian rhythms have a cycle that may last weeks or months. The regular occurrence of certain phenomena in living organisms.  

A school of psychiatric thought that emphasizes physical, chemical, and neurological causes of psychiatric illness and treatment approaches. The field of psychiatry embraces a distinctive methodology that seeks to comprehend the intricacies of mental disorders by delving into the underlying biological and biochemical mechanisms of the central nervous system. Through this lens, an in-depth exploration…

Organic substances of interest because of their possible role in brain functioning; subdivided into catecholamines (e.g., tyrosine, phenylalanine, dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine) and indoleamines (e.g., tryptophan, serotonin). The biosynthetic pathway for the catecholamines is tyrosine → dihydroxyphenylalanine → dopamine → norepinephrine → epinephrine. The biosynthetic pathway for the indoleamines is tryptophan → serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) → 5-hiaa…

The theory that abnormalities in the physiology and metabolism of biogenic amines—particularly the catecholamines dopamine and norepinephrine and the indoleamine serotonin—are involved in the causes and courses of certain psychiatric illnesses. This hypothesis was derived originally from a serendipitous discovery that monoamine oxidase inhibitors (maois) and certain tricyclic drugs had mood-elevating properties and that these…

The chemistry of living organisms and of the changes occurring therein. The study of chemical processes that comprise living things (systems). The chemistry of life and living matter. Despite the dramatic differences in the appearances of living things, the basic chemistry of all organisms is strikingly similar. Even tiny one-celled creatures carry out essentially the…

A type of vascular dementia, also known as subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy. The damage is the result of the thickening and narrowing (atherosclerosis) of arteries that feed the subcortical areas of the brain. Patients have a history of hypertension, gait disturbance, urinary incontinence, and progressive cognitive decline.  

A period of overeating during which a larger amount of food is ingested than most people would eat during that time. The person feels that he or she cannot stop eating or has no control over what or how much is consumed. During the episode, the person may eat more rapidly than usual, eat until…

A pattern of heavy alcoholic intake that occurs in bouts of a day or more that are set aside for drinking. During periods between bouts, the subject may abstain from alcohol. The consumption of more than four or five alcoholic drinks in a row (the lower number applies to women; the higher number applies to…

A class of drugs that inhibits the action of beta-adrenergic receptors, which modulate cardiac functions, respiratory functions, and the dilation and constriction of blood vessels. Beta-blockers are of value in the treatment of hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, and migraine. In psychiatry, they have been used in the treatment of aggression and violence, anxiety-related tremors and lithium-induced…