naloxone

n. a morphine-derived opioid antagonist that prevents the binding of opioids to opioid receptors, having primary activity at the mu opioid receptor. Like other opioid antagonists, it can quickly reverse the effects of opioid overdose and is useful in emergency settings to reverse respiratory depression. It has poor oral and sublingual bioavailability and must be dosed parenterally. U.S. trade name: Narcan. In combination with buprenorphine, it is used as an alternative to methadone maintenance therapy (U.S. trade name: Suboxone).

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

November 17th 2024

visual area

any of many regions of the cerebral cortex in which the neurons are primarily sensitive to visual stimulation. Together, all the visual areas comprise the visual cortex. Most visual areas can be distinguished from one another on the basis of their anatomical connections (i.e., their cytoarchitecture) and their specific visual sensitivities. Individual areas are designated by “V” and a number that indicates roughly how distant the area is from striate cortex. See V1; V2; V3; V4; V5.