Find over 25,000 psychological definitions


calcium-channel blocker

any of a class of drugs, the prototype of which is verapamil, used in the treatment of hypertension and abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias). Calcium-channel blockers inhibit the flow of calcium ions into the smooth-muscle cells of blood vessels and the cells of heart muscle, which need calcium to contract. They act by binding to calcium channels on the surface of depolarized muscle-cell membranes, causing a decrease in transmembrane calcium transmission and prolonged relaxation of the muscles. Verapamil has been studied as a potential mood stabilizer, with equivocal results in the treatment of mania.

Browse dictionary by letter

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Psychology term of the day

December 18th 2024

seriation

seriation

n. the process of arranging a collection of items in a specific order (series) on the basis of a particular dimension (e.g., size). According to Piagetian theory, this ability is necessary for understanding the concepts of numbers, time, and measurement and is acquired by children during the concrete operational stage.