millenarianism

1. belief in the imminent end of human history, to be followed by a thousand-year period of peace and blessedness (often associated with the Second Coming of Christ). Such beliefs were current in the early Christian church and appeared sporadically, primarily from the 11th through the 17th centuries, in periods of political or intellectual crisis and among marginalized groups. Some groups proclaim similar beliefs but without the language and imagery of Christianity.

2. by extension, any belief that rapid and violent change can lead to a golden age of justice and peace. —millenarian adj.

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Psychology term of the day

September 8th 2024

NMDA receptor

a type of glutamate receptor that binds NMDA as well as glutamate. NMDA receptors are coupled to ligand-gated ion channels and are also voltage-sensitive, which enables them to participate in a variety of information-processing operations at synapses where glutamate is the neurotransmitter. The drugs of abuse ketamine and PCP are antagonists at NMDA receptors, preventing the influx of calcium ions at calcium channels, which may cause the hallucinogenic effects of these drugs. Excessive flow of calcium ions into the presynaptic neuron via the NMDA receptor is thought to contribute to glutamate toxicity. A hypothesis on the etiology of schizophrenia involves dysfunction of the NMDA glutamate receptor (see glutamate hypothesis). Compare AMPA receptor.