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echoencephalography

n. a method of mapping brain anatomy for diagnostic purposes by using ultrasonic waves. The waves are transmitted through the skull using an instrument called an echoencephalograph, and echoes of the waves from intracranial structures are recorded to produce a visual image called an echoencephalogram. The method, though still in use, is now considered outdated and has been largely superseded by such methods as transcranial Doppler ultrasonography.

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Psychology term of the day

December 26th 2024

mental disorder

mental disorder

any condition characterized by cognitive and emotional disturbances, abnormal behaviors, impaired functioning, or any combination of these. Such disorders cannot be accounted for solely by environmental circumstances and may involve physiological, genetic, chemical, social, and other factors. Specific classifications of mental disorders are elaborated in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (see DSM–IV–TR; DSM–5) and the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases. Also called mental illness; psychiatric disorder; psychiatric illness; psychological disorder. See also psychopathology.