| MCAR | mixed cell agglutination reaction |
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| MCGN | mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis; minimal change glomerulonephritis; mixed cryoglobulinemia with... |
| MCL | maximum containment laboratory; medial collateral ligament; midclavicular line; midcostal line; mini... |
| MCN | maternal child nursing; minimal change nephropathy; mixed cell nodular [lymphoma] |
| MCTD | mixed connective tissue disease |
| single gene disorder | Hereditary disorder caused by a mutant allele of a single gene (for example, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, retinoblastoma, sickle cell disease). Compare: polygenic disorders. (09 Oct 1997) |
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| somatisation disorder | A psychological disorder where there are multiple physical complaints that suggest physical disorders without any physical impairment to account for them. Gastrointestinal symptoms and pain syndromes are the most common features. (27 Sep 1997) |
| somatization disorder | A mental disorder characterised by presentation of a complicated medical history and of physical symptoms referring to a variety of organ systems, but without a detectable or known organic basis. See: conversion, hysteria. (05 Mar 2000) |
| somatoform disorder | A group of disorders in which physical symptoms suggesting physical disorders for which there are no demonstrable organic findings or known physiologic mechanisms, and for which there is positive evidence, or a strong presumption that the symptoms are linked to psychological factors; e.g., hysteria, conversion disorder, hypochondriasis, and pain disorder. (05 Mar 2000) |
| narcissistic personality disorder | An individual with an inflated sense of self-importance. (27 Sep 1997) |
| stereotypic movement disorder | Motor behaviour that is repetive, often seemingly driven, and nonfunctional. This behaviour markedly interfers with normal activities or results in severe bodily self-injury. The behaviour is not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance or a general medical condition. (dsm-IV, 1994) (12 Dec 1998) |
| neurodegenerative disorder | A type of neurological disease marked by the loss of nerve cells. See: Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease. (22 May 1997) |
| neurological disorder | Disturbance in structure or function of the central nervous system resulting from developmental abnormality, disease, injury or toxin. (22 May 1997) |
| neuropsychologic disorder | A disturbance of mental function due to brain trauma, associated with one of more of the following: neurocognitive, psychotic, neurotic, behavioural, or psychophysiologic manifestations, or mental impairment. See: mental illness. (05 Mar 2000) |
| delusional disorder | A severe mental disorder characterised by the presence of delusions. The delusions may be related to paranoid, grandiose, somatic, or erotic themes. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dependent personality disorder | An individual who fears separation and engaging othhers to assume responsibility (27 Sep 1997) |
| depersonalization disorder | <psychiatry> A mental disorder or heterogeneous group of disorders (the schizophrenias or schizophrenic disorders) comprising most major psychotic disorders and characterised by disturbances in form and content of thought (loosening of associations, delusions and hallucinations) mood (blunted, flattened or inappropriate affect), sense of self and relationship to the external world (loss of ego boundaries, dereistic thinking and autistic withdrawal) and behaviour (bizarre, apparently purposeless and stereotyped activity or inactivity). The definition and clinical application of the concept of the concept of schizophrenia have varied greatly. The DSM III R criteria emphasise marked disorder of thought (delusions, hallucinations or other thought disorder accompanied by disordered affect or behaviour), deterioration from a previous level of functioning and chronicity (duration of more than 6 months), thus excluding from this classification conditions referred to by others as acute, borderline, simple or latent schizophrenia. Originally called dementia praecox and characterised as a psychosis with adolescent onset and a chronic course ending in deterioration. The term schizophrenia was introduced by Bleuler because neither early onset nor terminal deterioration is an essential feature, he emphasised the splitting and lack of personality integration seen in the disorder. Origin: Gr. Phren = mind (18 Nov 1997) |
| depressive disorder | An affective disorder manifested by either a dysphoric mood or loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities. The mood disturbance is prominent and relatively persistent. (12 Dec 1998) |
| disorder | 1. Want of order or regular disposition; lack of arrangement; confusion; disarray; as, the troops were thrown into disorder; the papers are in disorder. 2. Neglect of order or system; irregularity. "From vulgar bounds with brave disorder part, And snatch a grace beyond the reach of art." (Pope) 3. Breach of public order; disturbance of the peace of society; tumult. 4. Disturbance of the functions of the animal economy of the soul; sickness; derangement. "Disorder in the body." Synonym: Irregularity, disarrangement, confusion, tumult, bustle, disturbance, disease, illness, indisposition, sickness, ailment, malady, distemper. See Disease. Origin: Pref. Dis- + order: cf. F. Desordre. 1. To disturb the order of; to derange or disarrange; to throw into confusion; to confuse. "Disordering the whole frame or jurisprudence." (Burke) "The burden . . . Disordered the aids and auxiliary rafters into a common ruin." (Jer. Taylor) 2. To disturb or interrupt the regular and natural functions of (either body or mind); to produce sickness or indisposition in; to discompose; to derange; as, to disorder the head or stomach. "A man whose judgment was so much disordered by party spirit." (Macaulay) 3. To depose from holy orders. Synonym: To disarrange, derange, confuse, discompose. Origin: Disordered; Disordering. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| identity disorder | A mental disorder of childhood or adolescence in which one suffers severe distress regarding one's ability to reconcile aspects of the self into a coherent acceptable sense of self. (05 Mar 2000) |