Terms in the field of Psychiatry and Neurology A

abreaction :An emotional release or discharge after recalling a painful experience that has been repressed because it was not consciously tolerable.
abstract attitude: (categorical attitude) This is a type of thinking that includes voluntarily shifting one s mind set from a specific aspect of a situation to the general aspect; It involves keeping in mind different simultaneous aspects of a situation while grasping the essentials of the situation.
abulia A lack of will or motivation which is often expressed as inability to make decisions or set goals.
acalculia The loss of a previously possessed ability to engage in arithmetic calculation.
acetylcholine A neurotransmitter in the brain, which helps to regulate memory, and in the peripheral nervous system, where it affects the actions of skeletal and smooth muscle.
acting out This is the process of expressing unconscious emotional conflicts or feelings via actions rather than words. The person is not consciously aware of the meaning or etiology of such acts. Acting out may be harmful or, in controlled situations, therapeutic (e.g., children s play therapy).
actualization The realization of one s full potential - intellectual, psychological, physical, etc.
adiadochokinesia The inability to perform rapid alternating movements of one or more of the extremities. This task is sometimes requested by physicians of patients during physical examinations to determine if there exists neurological problems.
adrenergic This refers to neuronal or neurologic activity caused by neurotransmitters such as epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine.
affect This word is used to described observable behavior that represents the expression of a subjectively experienced feeling state (emotion). Common examples of affect are sadness, fear, joy, and anger.
affective disorders Refers to disorders of mood. Examples would include Major Depressive Disorder, Dysthymia, Depressive Disorder, N.O.S., Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood, Bipolar Disorder...
agitation (psychomotor agitation) Excessive motor activity that accompanies and is associated with a feeling of inner tension. The activity is usually nonproductive and repetitious and consists of such behavior as pacing, fidgeting, wringing of the hands, pulling of clothes, and inability to sit still.
agnosia Failure to recognize or identify objects despite intact sensory function; This may be seen in dementia of various types.