NEW PSYCHOPATHOLOGY

Agoraphobia

Fear or avoidance of situations where escape might be difficult or help is unavailable (crowds, buses) often linked to panic disorder

Alogia

A negative symptom of schizophrenia, involving reduced speech output or impoverished language

Anhedonia

Inability to experience pleasure; a core symptom of depression and schizophrenia

Anorexia Nervosa

An eating disorder characterized by a restriction of energy intake, significantly low body weight, intense fear of gaining weight, and body image disturbance

Assertive Community Treatment (ACT)

Intensive, team-based, community mental health service for severe mental illness, focused on reducing hospitalizations and improving daily functioning.

Base Rate

How common a disorder in the population; important for interpreting diagnostic test accuracy.

Binge/Purge

Pattern of eating large amounts of food, followed by compensatory behaviors like vomiting and laxatives.

Binge-Eating Disorder

Recurrent binge episodes without compensatory behaviors, associated with distress/loss of control.

Bipolar I

Characterized by at least 1 full manic episode; depressive episodes are common, but not required.

Bipolar II

Requires at least 1 hypomanic episode and 1 major depressive episode. (No full manic)

BMI

Weight-to-height ratio used to categorize underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obesity.

Bulimia Nervosa

Recurrent binge followed by compensatory behaviors (vomiting/laxatives) usually normal weight

Catatonia

Movement abnormalities including immobility, mutism, rigidity, or excessive purposeless activity

CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)

Therapy focusing on breaking cycles between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors; widely used for anxiety and depression.

Clanging

Speech based on sound associations (rhyming), common is schizophrenia.

Cyclothymic Disorder

Chronic mood fluctuations involving hypomanic and depressive symptoms that never meet full diagnostic thresholds; lasts ≥ 2 years

Delusions

Fixed false beliefs not based in reality; common types include persecutory, grandiose, and somatic.

Depression

Low mood, loss of interest, hopelessness, and other symptoms; can be unipolar or part of bipolar disorder

Disorganized Speech

Incoherent or illogical thinking expressed through speech; hallmark of schizophrenia.

Dopamine

Neurotransmitter implicated in reward, movement, and psychosis (dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia)

Downward drift hypothesis

Idea that schizophrenia leads individuals to drift into lower socioeconomic status because of impaired functioning.

Eating Disorders

Conditions involving severe disturbances in eating behavior (anorexia, bulimia, binge eating)

ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy)

Treatment for severe depression or treatment-resistant conditions using controlled electrical stimulation to induce a seizure.

Exposure Therapy

Gradual confrontation with feared stimuli to reduce anxiety (for phobias, PTSD)

Externalizing

Behaviors directed outward (substance use, aggression, antisocial behaviors)

Flat effect

Reduced or absent emotional expression in schizophrenia.

Gene-Environment Correlation

Genetic tendencies that influence the environments people experience (e.g., genes for impulsivity → risky peer groups)

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Excessive uncontrollable worry about many topics for ≥ 6 months.

Genetic Correlations

Extent to which genetic factors influencing 1 trait also influence another; challenges traditional diagnostic boundaries.

Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS)

Large-scale scans of genomes to identify genetic variants associated with diseases or traits

Hallucinations

Sensory experiences without external stimuli; auditory hallucinations are most common in schizophrenia.

Hypomanic Episode

Elevated or irritable mood with increased energy lasting ≥ 4 days, not severe enough to cause major impairment.

Internalizing

Symptoms directed inward (anxiety, depression)

Learned Helplessness

Exposure to uncontrollable stress leads to passivity, hopelessness; linked to depression.

Linkage Disequilibrium

Non-random association of genetic variants important for interpreting GWAS findings.

Loose Associations

Disorganized thinking where ideas are loosely connected.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

At least 2 weeks of depressed mood or anhedonia plus additional symptoms.

Mania

Period of abnormality: elevated or irritable mood with increased energy, risky behavior, and impaired functioning.

Manic Episode

A week or more of mania (or any duration if hospitalization is required)

MAOI”s (Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors)

Antidepressants that block the breakdown of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine; require dietary restrictions.

Neologisms

Made-up words with meaning only to the speaker; seen in schizophrenia.

Norepinephrine

Neurotransmitter involved in arousal, attention, and mood.

Obesity

BMI ≥ 30; Influenced by genetics, environment, and behavior.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Intrusive obsessions and compulsions performed to reduce stress.

Panic Attack

Sudden intense fear with physical symptoms (heart racing, choking, depersonalization)

Panic Disorder

Recurrent unexpected panic attacks and fear of having more.

Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia)

Chronic depressed mood lasting ≥ 2 years.

Pleiotrophy

One gene influences multiple traits.

Point Prevalence

Proportion of a population with a disorder at a specific point in time.

Polygenic Scores

Sum of risk alleles weighted by their GWAS effect sizes; predicts genetic liability

Prodrome

Early symptoms before the onset of the full disorder (key in schizophrenia)

Psychoactive Substances

Drugs that alter mood, cognition, or behavior.

Psychosis

Loss of contact with reality; includes delusions and hallucinations

Schizophrenia

Severe mental disorder involving psychosis, disorganization, cognitive deficits, and negative symptoms.

Sensitivity vs Specificity

Sensitivity → True positive rate

Specificity → True negative rate

Serotonin

Neurotransmitter involved in mood and anxiety regulation.

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)

Fear of situations where one might be judged.

Sociogenic Hypothesis

LOS SES causes schizophrenia due to stress and adversity.

Specific Phobia

Fear of specific object or situation.

SSRI’s

Antidepressants that block serotonin reuptake

Substance Abuse

Maladaptive use causing impairment; older DSM term

Substance Dependence

Physiological and psychological need for a substance; includes tolerance/withdrawal

Tangeniality

Going off topic without returning to the question

Tolerance

Need more of substance to get the same effect

Unipolar Depression

Depression without mania

Withdrawal

Physical or psychological symptoms when stopping a substance.

Word Salad

Extremely disorganized, incoherent speech; severe form of thought disorder.