adenosine

n. a compound in living cells consisting of an adenine molecule and a ribose sugar molecule. Adenosine functions as a neuromodulator: By binding to special adenosine receptors, it influences the release of several neurotransmitters in the central nervous system. Combined with three phosphate units, adenosine becomes ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which functions as an energy source in metabolic activities.

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Psychology term of the day

February 22nd 2025

Gesellschaft

n. a type of society (the literal meaning of this German word) or social group in which people feel relatively isolated from each other. Their relationships are primarily contractual in nature, being guided chiefly by rational self-interest and the logic of the marketplace. Compare Gemeinschaft. [first described in 1887 by German sociologist Ferdinand Julius Tönnies (1855–1936)]