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Home  Resources Glossary 
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Psychiatry Glossary
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| A |
| Term |
Description |
| Acute dystonia |
An extrapyramidal symptom caused by some antipsychotics which takes the form of involuntary twisting of the muscles in the head and neck. Features include involuntary tongue protrusion, grimacing, neck spasms and abnormal head position. |
| Affective symptoms |
Symptoms of schizophrenia that relate to mood or emotional expression. |
| Agranulocytosis |
An acute condition characterised by an abnormally low level of white blood cells, which impairs the body’s ability to fight infection and which therefore has the potential to be fatal. It can be a side effect of the atypical antipsychotic, clozapine. |
| AIMS |
Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale - an assessment tool designed to measure abnormal movements in different parts of the body that may be caused by drug treatments. |
| Akathisia |
An extrapyramidal symptom, the features of which include an inability to sit still, rocking from foot-to-foot and other forms of extreme restlessness. |
| Antagonist |
An agent that has the ability to bind to a receptor and prevent or block a response. |
| Anticholinergic effects |
A group of side effects of some antipsychotics, including dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation and urinary retention. Caused by a blockade of acetylcholine receptors; can contribute to cognitive impairment. |
| Antipsychotic(s) |
A group of drugs used to treat psychosis. |
| Arrhythmia |
Abnormal heart rhythm. |
| Atypical antipsychotic |
A newer class of antipsychotic, developed with the aim of offering better symptom control and fewer EPS related side effects compared with older medications. |
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