respiratory depression

slow and shallow breathing that can be induced by opioids and other sedatives. These drugs raise the threshold level of respiratory centers in the medulla oblongata of the brain that normally would react to increased carbon dioxide in the tissues by increasing the rate and depth of breathing. Respiratory depression is a primary hazard of the use of morphine and other opioid analgesics, but it is also observed with CNS depressants, such as barbiturates. Respiratory depression is less common with benzodiazepines unless they are taken together with another CNS depressant, such as alcohol.

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Psychology term of the day

October 15th 2024

Kohnstamm test

a demonstration frequently used to prepare an individual for hypnosis. The participant is asked to press an arm backward against a wall for a minute or two and then to step away, allowing the arm to relax. What follows is a natural reflexive tendency for the arm to rise, known as Kohnstamm’s phenomenon. Believing that the reflex has occurred because of the hypnotist’s instructions for the task, the participant becomes more inclined to be susceptible to further suggestions during subsequent hypnosis. Also called Kohnstamm maneuver. [Oskar Kohnstamm (1871–1917), German physician]