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ADHD Glossary

Terms used to explain ADHD can sometimes be confusing. To help you fully understand the articles and features related to this very important health topic, we have compiled a glossary of terms that can help.

ADHD

ADHD
Function: abbreviation
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Anxiety

anx*i*ety
Pronunciation: \aŋ-ˈzī-ət-ē\


Function: noun
pl -eties

1 a: a painful or apprehensive uneasiness of mind usu. over an impending or anticipated ill
b: a cause of anxiety
2: an abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked by physiological signs (as sweating, tension, and increased pulse), by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and by self-doubt about one's capacity to cope with it

Chronic

1chron*ic
Pronunciation: \ˈkrän-ik\


Function: adjective

1 a: marked by long duration, by frequent recurrence over a long time, and often by slowly progressing seriousness : not acute <chronic[1] indigestion> <her hallucinations became chronic[1]>
b: suffering from a disease or ailment of long duration or frequent recurrence <a chronic[1] arthritic> <chronic[1] sufferers from asthma>
2 a: having a slow progressive course of indefinite duration used esp. of degenerative invasive diseases, some infections, psychoses, and inflammations <chronic[1] heart disease> <chronic[1] arthritis> <chronic[1] tuberculosis> compare acute 2b(1)
b: infected with a disease-causing agent (as a virus) and remaining infectious over a long period of time but not necessarily expressing symptoms <chronic[1] carriers may remain healthy but still transmit the virus causing hepatitis B>

EEG

EEG
Function: abbreviation
electroencephalogram; electroencephalograph

FDA

FDA
Function: abbreviation
Food and Drug Administration

Focus

2focus
Function: verb
fo*cused
also fo*cussed
fo*cus*ing
also fo*cus*sing
transitive verb
1: to bring (as light rays) to a focus
2 a: to adjust the focus of (as the eye or a lens)
b: to bring (as an image) into focusintransitive verb
1: to come to a focus
2: to adjust one's eye or a camera to a particular range

Genetic

ge*net*ic
Pronunciation: \jə-ˈnet-ik\


Function: adjective

1: of, relating to, or involving genetics
2: of, relating to, caused by, or controlled by genes <a genetic disease> <genetic material> compare acquired 1

Hyperactive

1hy*per*ac*tive
Pronunciation: \ˌhī-pə-ˈrak-tiv\


Function: adjective
: affected with or exhibiting hyperactivity; broadly: more active than is usual or desirable

Hyperactivity

hy*per*ac*tiv*i*ty
Pronunciation: \ˌhī-pə-ˌrak-ˈtiv-ət-ē\


Function: noun
pl -ties
: a state or condition of being excessively or pathologically active; esp: see: attention deficit disorder

Incidence

in*ci*dence
Pronunciation: \ˈin(t)-səd-ən(t)s, -sə-ˌden(t)s\


Function: noun

1 a: see: angle of incidence
b: the arrival of something (as a ray of light) at a surface
2 a: an act or the fact or manner of occurring or affecting <diseases of domestic incidenceScience>
b: rate of occurrence or influence; esp: the rate of occurrence of new cases of a particular disease in a population being studied compare prevalence

Indication

in*di*ca*tion
Pronunciation: \ˌin-də-ˈkā-shən\


Function: noun

1 a: a symptom or particular circumstance that indicates the advisability or necessity of a specific medical treatment or procedure <postpartum hemorrhage is the chief indication for the use of ergot preparations and derivatives C. H. Thienes>
b: something that is indicated as advisable or necessary <in case of collapse the immediate indication is artificial respiration Jour. Amer. Med. Assoc.>
2: the degree indicated in a specific instance or at a specific time on a graduated physical instrument (as a thermometer)

Learning Disability

learning disability
Function: noun
: any of various disorders (as dyslexia or dysgraphia) that interfere with an individual's ability to learn resulting in impaired functioning in verbal language, reasoning, or academic skills (as reading, writing, and mathematics) and are thought to be caused by difficulties in processing and integrating information

MRI

MRI
Pronunciation: \ˌem-(ˌ)är-ˈī\


Function: noun
: see: magnetic resonance imaging; also: a procedure in which magnetic resonance imaging is used

Medication

med*i*ca*tion
Pronunciation: \ˌmed-ə-ˈkā-shən\


Function: noun

1: the act or process of medicating
2: a medicinal substance : see: medicament

Neurological

neu*ro*log*i*cal
Pronunciation: \-ˈläj-i-kəl\


Function: adjective
: of or relating to neurology

Outlet

out*let
Pronunciation: \ˈaut-ˌlet, -lət\


Function: noun

1: an opening or a place through which something is let out <the pelvic outlet>
2: a means of release or satisfaction for an emotion or impulse <counseling provides an outlet for expressing and evaluating their feelings Vicki Glaser>

Psychiatric

psy*chi*at*ric
Pronunciation: \ˌsī-kē-ˈa-trik\


Function: adjective

1: relating to or employed in psychiatry <psychiatric disorders> <psychiatric drugs>
2: engaged in the practice of psychiatry : dealing with cases of mental disorder <psychiatric experts> <psychiatric nursing> <a psychiatric ward>

Range

1range
Pronunciation: \ˈrānj\


Function: noun
often attrib
1: the region throughout which a kind of organism or ecological community naturally lives or occurs
2: the difference between the least and greatest values of an attribute or of the variable of a frequency distribution

Remission

re*mis*sion
Pronunciation: \ri-ˈmish-ən\


Function: noun
: a state or period during which the symptoms of a disease are abated <cancer in remission after treatment> compare arrest cure 1 intermission

Stress

1stress
Pronunciation: \ˈstres\


Function: noun

1 a: a force exerted when one body or body part presses on, pulls on, pushes against, or tends to compress or twist another body or body part; esp: the intensity of this mutual force commonly expressed in pounds per square inch
b: the deformation caused in a body by such a force
2 a: a physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation
b: a state of bodily or mental tension resulting from factors that tend to alter an existent equilibrium
3: the force exerted between teeth of the upper and lower jaws during mastication

Therapy

ther*a*py
Pronunciation: \ˈther-ə-pē\


Function: noun
pl -pies
: therapeutic treatment: as
a: remedial treatment of mental or bodily disorder
b: an agency (as treatment) designed or serving to bring about rehabilitation or social adjustment see occupational therapy recreational therapy

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© 2011 Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Published under license with Merriam-Webster, Inc.

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