Psychiatry Glossary

Showing 33 of 33 terms.

AffectAssessment

The emotional expression observed during an interview: its range, intensity, and whether it fits the stated mood. Distinct from mood, which is what the patient reports feeling over time.

AkathisiaSide Effects

An intensely unpleasant inner restlessness with an urge to move, most often caused by antipsychotics. It is frequently mistaken for anxiety or agitation, and it carries a real risk of suicidal thinking, so it should be treated promptly by dose reduction, a switch, or a beta blocker.

AnhedoniaSymptoms

Loss of the capacity to feel pleasure or interest in previously rewarding activities. A core feature of depression and an important target in the negative symptom domain of schizophrenia.

Antipsychotic (neuroleptic)Treatments

A medication that reduces psychotic symptoms mainly by blocking dopamine D2 receptors. First-generation agents carry more movement side effects; second-generation agents carry more metabolic risk.

Atypical depressionDiagnoses

A depressive presentation with mood that lifts temporarily with positive events, increased sleep and appetite, heavy limbs, and marked sensitivity to rejection. Historically the presentation most responsive to MAOIs. MAOIs in depression →

AugmentationTreatments

Adding a second medication to boost the effect of an antidepressant that produced only partial response, for example lithium, thyroid hormone, an atypical antipsychotic, or bupropion.

CatatoniaDiagnoses

A syndrome of motor and behavioral dysregulation: immobility, mutism, posturing, negativism, staring, or excited agitation. It occurs across psychiatric and medical illness, can become life-threatening, and typically responds to benzodiazepines or ECT.

ClozapineTreatments

The only antipsychotic with demonstrated superiority in treatment-resistant schizophrenia and the only one shown to reduce suicide risk. Requires scheduled blood counts because of a small risk of agranulocytosis. Clozapine primer →

DelusionSymptoms

A fixed false belief held despite clear contradictory evidence and not explained by cultural or religious background. Common themes are persecution, reference, grandiosity, and somatic concern.

Discontinuation syndromeSide Effects

Dizziness, electric-shock sensations, flu-like malaise, insomnia, and irritability after abruptly stopping or rapidly reducing an antidepressant. It reflects physiological adaptation, not addiction, and is prevented by tapering.

ECT (electroconvulsive therapy)Treatments

A brief, controlled seizure induced under anesthesia. The most effective available treatment for severe or psychotic depression, catatonia, and refractory mania, with transient memory effects as its main drawback.

Extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS)Side Effects

Drug-induced movement effects, including parkinsonism, dystonia, and akathisia, that result from dopamine blockade in motor circuits.

HallucinationSymptoms

A perception without an external stimulus. Auditory hallucinations are the most common in primary psychotic disorders; visual hallucinations should always prompt consideration of a medical, neurological, or substance-related cause.

Hypertensive crisisSide Effects

A sudden dangerous rise in blood pressure with severe headache, chest pain, and nausea. In MAOI treatment it can be precipitated by high-tyramine foods or sympathomimetic drugs, which is why dietary and medication precautions matter. MAOI patient FAQ →

Ketamine and esketamineTreatments

Glutamatergic agents that can relieve depressive symptoms and suicidal thinking within hours. Effects are short-lived without repeated dosing and a maintenance plan.

LithiumTreatments

The prototypical mood stabilizer, with the strongest anti-suicide evidence of any psychotropic. Requires periodic serum levels and monitoring of kidney and thyroid function.

MAOI (monoamine oxidase inhibitor)Treatments

A class of antidepressants that blocks monoamine oxidase, the enzyme that degrades serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Highly effective, especially in atypical and treatment-resistant depression, but requires a low-tyramine diet and careful screening for drug interactions. MAOIs in depression →

Mixed featuresDiagnoses

Simultaneous depressive and manic or hypomanic symptoms, such as depressed mood with racing thoughts and agitation. Mixed states carry elevated suicide risk and respond poorly to antidepressant monotherapy. Mixed states and irritable depression →

Negative symptomsSymptoms

Reductions in normal function in schizophrenia: diminished motivation, blunted emotional expression, poverty of speech, and social withdrawal. Typically the most disabling domain and the least responsive to antipsychotics.

NMS (neuroleptic malignant syndrome)Emergencies

A rare, life-threatening reaction to dopamine-blocking medication, defined by fever, lead-pipe muscle rigidity, altered mental status, autonomic instability, and elevated creatine kinase. It is a medical emergency requiring immediate discontinuation of the drug and hospital care. Neuroleptic malignant syndrome →

PharmacogenomicsAssessment

Genetic testing of drug-metabolizing enzymes such as CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 to explain unusual side effects or non-response. Useful in selected cases; it does not reliably predict which medication will work. Psychiatric genetics →

Positive symptomsSymptoms

Experiences added by illness: hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thought or speech. The domain most responsive to antipsychotic medication.

ProdromeDiagnoses

The period of subtle change before a full episode: declining function, social withdrawal, odd beliefs, or perceptual distortions. Recognizing it creates the opportunity for earlier and less disruptive intervention.

PsychosisSymptoms

Loss of contact with shared reality through hallucinations, delusions, or disorganization. A syndrome with many causes, psychiatric, neurological, medical, and substance-related, rather than a diagnosis in itself. Understanding schizophrenia and psychosis →

rTMS (repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation)Treatments

Non-invasive neuromodulation delivering focused magnetic pulses to cortical targets over a course of office sessions. FDA-cleared in treatment-resistant depression and OCD, and studied in schizophrenia for auditory hallucinations and negative symptoms. rTMS in schizophrenia →

Serotonin syndromeEmergencies

Toxicity from excess serotonergic activity, usually from combining serotonergic drugs. Features are agitation, tremor, muscle jerks (myoclonus), overactive reflexes, sweating, diarrhea, and fever. Onset is typically rapid, within hours, which helps distinguish it from NMS. NMS FAQ: how it differs from serotonin syndrome →

SNRITreatments

Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, such as venlafaxine or duloxetine. Useful when low energy or chronic pain accompanies depression.

SSRITreatments

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, the usual first-line antidepressant class because of its tolerability and safety in overdose relative to older agents.

Tardive dyskinesiaSide Effects

Involuntary movements, most often of the face, mouth, and tongue, that emerge after months to years of dopamine-blocking medication. It may persist after the drug is stopped, and VMAT2 inhibitors are the approved treatment.

Theta burst stimulationTreatments

A patterned, accelerated form of rTMS that delivers comparable effects in a fraction of the session time, allowing shorter or condensed treatment courses. rTMS in schizophrenia →

Treatment-resistant depressionDiagnoses

Failure to respond to two or more antidepressant trials of adequate dose and duration. It should prompt reassessment of the diagnosis before escalation to MAOIs, ketamine, rTMS, or ECT.

Treatment-resistant schizophreniaDiagnoses

Persistent symptoms despite two adequate antipsychotic trials. Clozapine is the evidence-based next step and is consistently under-prescribed.

TyramineSide Effects

An amine found in aged, cured, and fermented foods. Normally broken down by monoamine oxidase in the gut, it can accumulate during MAOI treatment and raise blood pressure sharply, which is the basis for the low-tyramine diet. MAOI patient FAQ →