Schizophrenia
One of several brain diseases whose symptoms may include loss of personality (flat affect), agitation, catatonia, confusion, psychosis, unusual behavior, and social withdrawal. The illness usually begins in early adulthood. The cause of schizophrenia is not known, but there appear to be both genetic (inherited) and environmental components to the disease. Schizophrenia is not caused by abuse or poor parenting practices. Treatment involves use of neuroleptic medication and supportive interpersonal therapy. The prognosis is fairly good, with two-thirds of those diagnosed recovering significantly.
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- Schizophrenia, childhood
The onset of schizophrenia before adulthood. This condition is very rare in young children, but occurs with more frequency in the teenage years. Autism was once known as childhood schizophrenia, but is a completely different disorder. See also autism, childhood disintegrative disorder, schizophrenia.
- Schizotypal personality disorder
A type of personality characterized by unusual patterns of speech and behavior and by social withdrawal. See also Asperger syndrome.
- Schmorl's node
An upward and downward protrusion (pushing into) of a spinal disk’s soft tissue into the bony tissue of the adjacent vertebrae. Schmorl’s nodes, which are common, especially with minor degeneration of the aging spine, are detectable via X-ray as spine abnormalities. Schmorl’s nodes are most common in the middle and lower spine. Schmorl’s nodes usually […]
- Schonlein-Henoch purpura
A form of blood vessel inflammation (vasculitis) that typically affects small arterial vessels (capillaries) in the skin, kidneys, and intestinal tract. The disease presents characteristically as a skin rash associated with joint inflammation (arthritis) and cramping pain in the abdomen. The rash is purpuric due to bleeding into the skin and there be hives and […]
- SA node
The SA node (SA stands for sinoatrial) is one of the major elements in the cardiac conduction system, the system that controls the heart rate. This stunningly designed system generates electrical impulses and conducts them throughout the muscle of the heart, stimulating the heart to contract and pump blood. The SA node is the heart’s […]