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illness anxiety disorder

in DSM–5, a disorder characterized by high anxiety about one’s health, by excessive preoccupation with having an illness or acquiring it, and by behaviors associated with the presumed or feared condition (e.g., repeatedly checking oneself for possible signs of illness), yet with no significant somatic symptoms that would warrant such concern. One of two replacement diagnoses for hypochondriasis, illness anxiety disorder is determined based only on this set of criteria and does not also apply to the presence of both high health anxiety and significant somatic symptoms. See somatic symptom disorder.

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Psychology term of the day

February 1st 2025

Wernicke–Geschwind model

Wernicke–Geschwind model

an early theory of speech that integrated the roles of the receptive language cortex (Wernicke’s area) and the language production cortex (Broca’s area). Also called Wernicke’s theory. [first suggested in 1874 by Karl Wernicke (1848–1905), German neurologist; revived and then extended by Norman Geschwind (1926–1984), U.S. neuroscientist]