VPT 321: Veterinary Neuropharmacology (2+1) copy 1

TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

• Anaesthetics – drugs that produce reversible loss of sensation eg. halothane.
• Dissociative anaesthetic – drug that produces a feeling of dissociation from one’s own body and surroundings including profound analgesia, immobility, amnesia with light sleep.
• Preanaesthetic medication – use of drugs before anaesthesia to make it more pleasant and safe.
• Sedative – drug that subdues excitement and calms the subject without inducing sleep.
• Hypnotic – drug that induces or maintains sleep
• Narcotic – drug that induces sleep (refers to opioids – the term is not used now)
• Antiepileptic drug – drug that is used to control seizures
• Analeptics - CNS stimulants – drugs that induce CNS stimulation
• Analgesic – drug that selectively relieves pain without altering consciousness
• Anxiolytic drugs – group of mild CNS depressants that produce a restful state of mind, without interfering with normal mental or physical functions
• Antidepressants – drugs that can elevate the mood in depressive illness
• Antimanic drugs – drugs that stabilize the mood in manic conditions
• Hallucinogens –( psychotomimetics) drugs that alter mood, behaviour, thought and perception in a manner similar to that seen in psychosis.