nightmare-death syndrome

the unexpected and mysterious nocturnal death of an apparently healthy individual that occurs among southeast Asian refugees, especially Hmong, in the United States. It is attributed by some Hmong to a nocturnal spirit encounter and is similar to the Filipino concept of bangungut. Also called sudden unexpected nocturnal-death syndrome.

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Psychology term of the day

January 31st 2025

somatosensory system

the parts of the nervous system that serve perception of touch, vibration, pain, temperature, and position (see somatosense). Nerve fibers from receptors for these senses enter the dorsal roots of the spinal cord and ascend mainly through tracts in the dorsal columns to the ventroposterior nuclei of the thalamus, from which they are relayed (directly or indirectly) to the somatosensory areas of the parietal cortex. Also called somatic sensory system.