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recovered memory

the subjective experience of recalling a prior traumatic event, such as sexual or physical abuse, that has previously been unavailable to conscious recollection. Before recovering the memory, the person may be unaware that the traumatic event occurred. The existence of the phenomenon is controversial, particularly in the area of recovered memories of childhood sexual abuse. Because such recoveries may occur while the person is undergoing therapy, there is debate about the role that the therapist may have in suggesting or otherwise arousing them. Also called repressed memory. See also dissociative barriers; false memory; posttraumatic amnesia; pseudomemory.

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Psychology term of the day

May 8th 2024

drug synergism

drug synergism

an enhancement of efficacy occurring when two or more drugs are administered concurrently, so that their combined pharmacological or clinical effects are greater than those occurring when the drugs are administered individually. Drug synergism can be metabolic, when the administration of one agent interferes with the metabolism of another, or it can be pharmacological, when the administration of two or more agents results in enhanced receptor binding or other activity at target sites. The enhanced antimicrobial activity of two antibiotics administered together is an example of positive synergism; negative synergism can be seen when the administration of a nontoxic agent with a toxic drug worsens the toxicity of the latter.