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Psychological Terms – Amnesia
Amnesia refers broadly to memory loss, usually affecting declarative memory more than procedural memory. The loss may involve failure to recall past events or difficulty creating new long-term memories.
Major related forms include:
The word derives from Greek, meaning “without memory.”
Amnesia refers broadly to memory loss, usually affecting declarative memory more than procedural memory. The loss may involve failure to recall past events or difficulty creating new long-term memories.
Major related forms include:
- Anterograde amnesia – difficulty forming new memories
- Retrograde amnesia – inability to recall previously stored memories
The word derives from Greek, meaning “without memory.”
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Psychological Terms – Ammon’s Horn
Ammon’s horn is another name for the major part of the hippocampus, a brain region crucial for learning, memory, and spatial navigation. Together with the subiculum and the dentate gyrus, it forms the hippocampal formation.
The name derives from the Egyptian deity Ammon, often depicted with ram’s horns—resembling the curved hippocampal structure. Damage to this area is strongly associated with amnesia, especially the inability to form new memories.
Ammon’s horn is another name for the major part of the hippocampus, a brain region crucial for learning, memory, and spatial navigation. Together with the subiculum and the dentate gyrus, it forms the hippocampal formation.
The name derives from the Egyptian deity Ammon, often depicted with ram’s horns—resembling the curved hippocampal structure. Damage to this area is strongly associated with amnesia, especially the inability to form new memories.
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Psychological Terms – Amitriptyline
Amitriptyline hydrochloride is a prominent tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) used to treat major depression and sometimes eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa when depression is present. It is also prescribed for certain forms of nerve-related pain.
The drug works by blocking the reuptake of monoamine neurotransmitters, particularly serotonin and norepinephrine, increasing their concentration at central nervous system synapses. Amitriptyline is sold under names such as Amitril, Elavil, Endep, Laroxyl, Saroten, and Triptafen.
Amitriptyline hydrochloride is a prominent tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) used to treat major depression and sometimes eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa when depression is present. It is also prescribed for certain forms of nerve-related pain.
The drug works by blocking the reuptake of monoamine neurotransmitters, particularly serotonin and norepinephrine, increasing their concentration at central nervous system synapses. Amitriptyline is sold under names such as Amitril, Elavil, Endep, Laroxyl, Saroten, and Triptafen.
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Psychological Terms – Amitril
Amitril is a brand (trade) name for the tricyclic antidepressant amitriptyline. It belongs to an early generation of antidepressants and is now often superseded by newer medications, but remains clinically relevant.
Amitril is a brand (trade) name for the tricyclic antidepressant amitriptyline. It belongs to an early generation of antidepressants and is now often superseded by newer medications, but remains clinically relevant.
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Psychological Terms – Amino Acid
An amino acid is any organic compound that contains both an amino group (NH₂) and a carboxyl group (COOH). Out of more than 100 amino acids found in nature, twenty form the essential building blocks of all peptides, polypeptides, and proteins that make up living cells. These include non-essential amino acids, which the body can manufacture, and essential amino acids, which must be consumed in the diet. Amino acids are vital in numerous psychological and neurological functions because many of them—such as glutamic acid, glycine, and tyrosine—are precursors or components of neurotransmitters.
Related biochemical concepts include aspartic acid, creatine, DOPA, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and codons, which link amino acids to the genetic code.
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Psychological Terms – Amine
An amine is an organic compound derived from ammonia (NH₃) in which hydrogen atoms are replaced by hydrocarbon groups. Many biologically important amines act as neurotransmitters, including dopamine, serotonin, histamine, and norepinephrine, making them central to brain function and psychological processes.
An amine is an organic compound derived from ammonia (NH₃) in which hydrogen atoms are replaced by hydrocarbon groups. Many biologically important amines act as neurotransmitters, including dopamine, serotonin, histamine, and norepinephrine, making them central to brain function and psychological processes.
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Psychological Terms – Amimia
Amimia is the inability to express meaningfully through gestures or facial movement, or to understand others’ gestures. It typically results from neurological injury and diminishes nonverbal communication.
Amimia is the inability to express meaningfully through gestures or facial movement, or to understand others’ gestures. It typically results from neurological injury and diminishes nonverbal communication.
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Psychological Terms – Amfetamine
A spelling variant of amphetamine, a stimulant that elevates activity in the central nervous system and is used medically for disorders such as ADHD and narcolepsy.
A spelling variant of amphetamine, a stimulant that elevates activity in the central nervous system and is used medically for disorders such as ADHD and narcolepsy.
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Psychological Terms – Ametropia
Ametropia is a condition in which light does not focus properly on the retina, resulting in blurred vision. It includes myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. Although the eye appears structurally normal, faulty refraction prevents clear imaging, leading to partial or functional visual loss unless corrected.
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Psychological Terms – Ames Window
The Ames window is a trapezoid-shaped panel that creates an illusion when rotated. Instead of being perceived as spinning continuously, the window appears to oscillate back and forth. This occurs because the viewer interprets the shape as a normal rectangular window, showing how prior knowledge biases perception.
The Ames window is a trapezoid-shaped panel that creates an illusion when rotated. Instead of being perceived as spinning continuously, the window appears to oscillate back and forth. This occurs because the viewer interprets the shape as a normal rectangular window, showing how prior knowledge biases perception.
