constipation

n. difficult or infrequent excretion of feces. The normal frequency of human bowel movements varies from three times a day to one every 3 days. In addition to diseases and mechanical obstructions, constipation may be caused by psychogenic factors. Psychogenic constipation is observed in some individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder who assign such importance to regularity that abnormal amounts of time and effort are devoted to daily bowel movements.

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Psychology term of the day

May 9th 2024

granular cortex

the portion of the cerebral cortex that contains granule cells, which are located in layers II and IV of the cortex (see cortical layers). The term refers particularly to primary sensory cortex, in which layer IV (the major input area) is very thick. Compare agranular cortex.