CHAPTER 16: PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC DRUGS

Question 1

affective disorders

Answer 1

emotional disorders that are characterized by changes in mood

Question 2

agoraphobia

Answer 2

an anxiety disorder that involves an intense fear of being in unfamiliar situations or places that may be difficult to leave or in which help may not be available in the event of having an unexpected panic attack or panic-like symptoms

Question 3

akathisia

Answer 3

a movement disorder in which there is an inability to sit still; motor restlessness. It can occur as an adverse effect of psychotropic medications

Question 4

anxiety

Answer 4

the unpleasant state of mind in which real or imagined dangers are anticipated and/or exagerragted

Question 5

bipolar disorder

Answer 5

a major psychological disorder characterized by episodes of mania or hypomania, cycling with depression; formerly called main-depressive illness

Question 6

biogenic amine hypothesis

Answer 6

a theory suggesting tha depression and mania are caused by alterations in the concentrations of dopamine and norepinephrine, and serotonin and histamine in the brain

Question 7

depression

Answer 7

an abnormal emotional state characterized by exaggerated feelings of sadness, melancholy, dejection, worthlessness, emptiness and hopelessness that impact the patients life and may be out of proportion to reality. Signs include withdrawal from social contact, loss of appetite, and insomia

Question 8

dopamine hypothesis

Answer 8

a theory suggesting that dopamine dysregulation in certain parts of the brain is one of the primary contributing factors to the development of psychotic disorders (psychoses)

Question 9

dyskinesia

Answer 9

term for abnormal and distressing involuntary movements; inability to control movements

Question 10

dysregulation hypothesis

Answer 10

a theory that views depression and affective disorders as caused not simply by decreased or increased catecholamine and serotonin activity but by failure of the brain to regulate the levels of these neurotransmitters

Question 11

dystonia

Answer 11

a syndrome of abnormal muscle contraction that produces repetitive involuntary twisting movements and abnormal posturing of the neck, face, trunk, and extremities; often caused as an adverse reactions to psychotropic medications

Question 12

extrapyramidal symtoms

Answer 12

the term for signs and symptoms that resemble pathologic changes to the pyramidal portions of the brain. such symptoms include various motion disorders similar to those seen in parkinson’s disease and are an adverse effect associated with use of various antipsychotic drugs

Question 13

gamma-aminobutyric acid

Answer 13

an amino acid in the brain that functions to inhibit nerve transmission in the central nervous system

Question 14

hypomania

Answer 14

a less severe and less potentially hazardous form of mania

Question 15

mania

Answer 15

an acute illness characterized by an expansive emotional state, including extreme excitement, elation, hyperactivity, agitation, talkativeness, flight of ideas, reduced attention span, increased psychomotor activity, impulsivity, insomnia, anorexia and sometimes violent, destructive and self-destructive behavior

Question 16

metabolic syndrome

Answer 16

a cluster of conditions ( increased glucose level, increased blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol levels, excessive body fat around waist) occurring together that increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes

Question 17

neuroleptic malignant syndrome

Answer 17

an uncommon but serious adverse effect associated with the use of antipsychotic drugs and characterized by symptoms such as fever, cardiovascular instability and myoglobinemia (presence in the blood of muscle breakdown proteins)

Question 18

neurotranmitters

Answer 18

endogenous chemicals in the body that serve to conduct nerve impulses between nerve cells (neurons)

Question 19

permissive hypothesis

Answer 19

a theory postulating that reduced concentrations of serotonin (5 hydroxytriptamine) is the predisposing factor in individuals with affective disorders

Question 20

psychosis

Answer 20

(plural: psychoses) a type of serious mental illness that can take several different forms and is associated with being out of touch with reality; that is, the individual is unable to distinguish imaginary from real circumstances

Question 21

psychotherapeutics

Answer 21

treatment of emotional and mental disorders

Question 22

psychotropic

Answer 22

capable of affecting mental processes; usually said of a medication

Question 23

serotonin syndrome

Answer 23

a rare collection of symptoms resulting from elevated levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin; may occur with the use of any psychotropic drug (e.g. antidepressants, buspirone, tramadol) that enhances brain serotonin activity

Question 24

stigma

Answer 24

widespread negative perceptions of and prejudice toward a specific group of people such as those with mental illness

Question 25

tardive dyskinesia

Answer 25

a serious drug adverse effect characterized by abnormal and distressing involuntary body movements and muscle tension that is associated with the use of antipsychotic medications