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buspirone

n. a nonbenzodiazepine anxiolytic of the azapirone class that acts as a partial serotonin agonist at 5-HT1A receptors. Both it and its primary metabolic product, 6-hydroxybuspirone, produce some relief of subjective symptoms of anxiety without the sedation, behavioral disinhibition, and risk of dependence associated with the benzodiazepines. Its use has been limited, however, due to its relative lack of efficacy compared with benzodiazepines. U.S. trade name: BuSpar.

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Psychology term of the day

February 17th 2025

sexually dimorphic nucleus

sexually dimorphic nucleus

a nucleus of the central nervous system that differs in size between males and females. In humans, for example, a nucleus in the medial preoptic area of the hypothalamus that synthesizes gonadotropin-releasing hormone tends to be larger and more active in males than in females because gonadotropin release is continuous (it is cyclical in females). In songbirds whose males sing more than females, several brain nuclei associated with both song learning and song production are larger in males than in females.