Neuropsychiatry Glossary
100 terms total — 24 showing — Last updated 15 Sep 2026
psychomotor agitation
Physical restlessness and increased motor activity associated with psychological distress, commonly seen in mood disorders.
labile affect
Rapidly shifting emotional expressions that are disproportionate to the situation, often indicating neurological or psyc...
Lewy body
Abnormal protein aggregates in brain cells characteristic of certain neurodegenerative disorders.
logorrhea
Excessive, rapid, and often incoherent speech characterized by an abnormally large flow of words, commonly seen in manic...
medication-induced movement disorder
Abnormal involuntary movements caused by psychotropic medications, including tremor, dystonia, and tardive syndromes.
medication-induced parkinsonism
Reversible movement disorder caused by medications that block dopamine receptors, mimicking the symptoms of Parkinson's...
Mini-Mental State Examination
A brief cognitive screening tool used to assess mental status and detect cognitive impairment.
MMPI-2
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 - standardized psychological assessment tool measuring personality traits...
negative symptoms
Symptoms of schizophrenia representing diminished or absent normal functions, such as reduced emotional expression and m...
neurobehavioral syndrome
Cluster of behavioral, cognitive, and emotional symptoms resulting from brain injury or neurological disease.
neurocognitive disorder
Clinical condition characterized by acquired cognitive decline from previously normal functioning.
neurodevelopmental disorder
A condition that emerges during early brain development, affecting neurological function and behavior.
neuroleptic malignant syndrome
A rare but life-threatening reaction to antipsychotic medications characterized by hyperthermia, muscle rigidity, and al...
neuroplasticity
The brain's ability to reorganize and form new neural connections throughout life.
neuropsychiatric
Relating to mental health conditions with underlying neurological dysfunction or brain pathology.
neuropsychiatric inventory
Standardized assessment tool measuring behavioral and psychological symptoms in dementia patients through caregiver inte...
neuropsychiatrist
Medical specialist trained in both neurology and psychiatry, focusing on brain-behavior relationships.
neuropsychological battery
A comprehensive set of standardized tests used to assess cognitive functioning across multiple domains.
PANSS
A standardized scale for measuring symptom severity in schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.
PANSS-6
Abbreviated version of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale using six key items for rapid assessment.
paradoxical reaction
Unexpected opposite response to medication, such as increased agitation from sedatives in elderly or brain-injured patie...
paraphasic error
Unintended substitution of sounds, syllables, or words during speech production, commonly seen in aphasia.
parasomnia
Category of sleep disorders involving abnormal behaviors, emotions, perceptions, or physiological events occurring durin...
perseveration
Persistent repetition of words, phrases, or behaviors beyond their appropriateness, indicating cognitive or neurological...
pharmacokinetic interaction
Drug interaction that affects the absorption, distribution, metabolism, or elimination of medications, altering their bl...