Category: N

The part of the cerebral cortex involved in higher functions such as sensory perception, generation of motor commands, spatial reasoning, conscious thought, and language. The highest center of intelligence in the brain. The nonolfactory portion of the cerebral cortex. It is composed of six layers of neurons and nerve fibers having a similar distribution pattern.…

The result of lesions of the right parietal lobe that leave a patient inattentive to stimuli to the left side of the body after a stroke or an accident. It sometimes occurs after similar damage to the left hemisphere but much less frequently and in milder form. The patient appears to behave as if the…

Opposition or resistance, either covert or overt, to the suggestions or advice of others. May be seen in schizophrenia. A defense mechanism. The attitude of a person who opposes advice or instructions. Pattern of behavior characterized by opposition, resistance to suggestion, unwillingness to cooperate, and a tendency to act m a contrary way; it may…

In freudian theory, resistance to change in psychoanalytic therapy. The worsening of symptoms in response to the therapist’s effort to foster insight. The patient’s neurotic behavior increases after first improving with therapy, and he or she gets worse instead of improving as would be expected. Because such a reaction seemed to defy the pleasure principle,…

A group of symptoms characteristic of schizophrenia that include loss of fluency and spontaneity of verbal expression, impaired ability to focus or sustain attention on a particular task, difficulty in initiating or following through on tasks, impaired ability to experience pleasure or form emotional attachment to others, and blunted affect.  

An atypical antidepressant (characterized as a serotonin antagonist and reuptake inhibitor [sari]) used to treat depression and certain anxiety disorders. Nefazodone is infrequently prescribed today because of its association with life-threatening liver failure. Although available only as generic, it may still be known by the discontinued brand name serzone.  

One of the paraphilias, characterized by marked distress over, or acting on, urges involving sexual activity with corpses. A rare sexual variance in which sexual gratification is achieved by looking at or having intercourse with a corpse. In extreme cases, a necrophiliac may kill to provide himself with a corpse. This is considered by some…

Pathological preoccupation with dead bodies.  

Brand name for the conventional antipsychotic drug thiothixene. A commercial preparation of thiothixene.  

Now called Mental Health America. The oldest and largest nonprofit organization addressing all aspects of mental health and mental illness. Founded by Clifford W. Beers in 1909 as the National Committee for Mental Hygiene.