antipyretic

n. a drug that helps control fever or other forms of hyperthermia (raised body temperature) by acting on the thermoregulatory center in the hypothalamus. Antipyretics may also help the body to dissipate heat faster by dilating peripheral arteries. Aspirin and other nonopioid analgesics function as antipyretics.

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Psychology term of the day

December 18th 2024

acuity grating

a stimulus used to measure an individual’s sharpness of visual perception. It consists of alternating black and white lines spaced closely together; the point at which the participant perceives the lines to be homogeneous gives an indication of visual acuity. When the contrast of the lines is varied, the acuity grating can be used to test contrast sensitivity.