Category: B

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…

Often abbreviated as A-beta, this is a protein that builds up in the brain of persons with alzheimer’s disease, collecting in clumps called senile plaques. Some researchers question whether beta-amyloid is the cause of the dementia, but most agree that it is involved in the disruption of thinking that is a hallmark of the disease.…

In psychiatry, a term used to describe the optimal clinical approach to the treatment of a particular mental disorder. The practice is usually determined by expert consensus among a group of clinicians with special expertise in treating the disorder.  

Zoophilia; sexual relations between a human being and an animal. A deviant form of sexual expression; sexual relation with an animal, zoophilia. Sexual involvement of a human with an animal. The use of animals (e.g., snakes, poultry, and nonhuman mammals) for sexual enjoyment.    

Feelings of deprivation, desolation, and grief at the loss of a loved one. The grieving person does not need to seek professional help unless these feelings last for a long time or symptoms such as depression or insomnia become problematic. The period following the realization of the loss of a loved one. The loss of…

An anticholinergic medication used to treat muscle stiffness and other motor side effects either from parkinson’s disease or as a result of treatment with conventional antipsychotic medications such as haloperidol (Haldol). Marketed under the brand name cogentin. An anticholinergic used to control extrapyramidal symptoms. Cogentin is a brand name. A drug similar to atropine, but…

A class of medications with a similar chemical ring structure and similar therapeutic properties, including potent hypnotic, sedative, and anxiolytic effects. Benzodiazepines are also called anxiolytics or antianxiety medications. The generic name for a group of drugs that have potent hypnotic and sedative action. A drug that acts on the brain signal receptor (also called…