Parkinson’s disease

Herbert Ehringer and Oleh Hornykiewicz* found in 1960 that basal ganglia dopamine levels in Parkinson’s patients were about one-tenth of normal levels, a finding that dovetails with consistent degeneration of the substantia nigra.  However, signs of the disease do not typically appear until dopamine levels have decreased by at least 80 to 90%.  A standard …

Parenting

Can refer to procreation, but usually refers to the care provided for children by those acting as their parents.  It does not necessarily refer to the biological parents of the child, but can range from grandparents to an older sibling as well as a legal guardian appointed by the state.  As perhaps the defining component …

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)

A evidence-based treatment procedure used to improve the quality of theparent-child relationship by teaching parents specific skills to deal with their children (2-7 years) who have emotional and behavioral problems (e.g., conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder). The treatment combines behavioral and play forms of therapy.  It is founded on a combination of attachment and social learning theories. …

Parental styles

Authoritarian Four basic styles of parentingaccording to the classification devised by Maccoby and Martin (1983) and basedon the original work by Baumrind (1966).   See Differential parenting, Interaction, Intuitive parenting, Maternal responsiveness, Parenting, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Self-esteem * Baumrind, D.(1966). Effects of authoritative parental control on child behavior, ChildDevelopment, 37, 887-907.  ** Maccoby, E.E., & Martin, J.A.(1983). Socialization …

Parasympathetic nervous system (PNS)

One of the two major sub-divisions of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) that conserves and restores energy in opposition to physical responses from the sympathetic nervous system.  Typically promotes, for example, lower heart rate, blood vessel dilation, increased digestive secretions, and sexual arousal.  Thus, it is sometimes referred to as the ‘rest and digest’ system.  As …