herkistetään

Herkistetään is a Finnish verb form meaning “is being sensitized” or “becomes sensitized.” It is the passive present form of the transitive verb herkistää, which means to sensitize or to make more sensitive or susceptible. The form is used when the agent causing sensitization is unspecified or when describing a process rather than an actor.

In scientific and medical language, herkistetään describes biological, immunological, or pharmacological sensitization. For example, an organism may be herkistetään for an antigen or a drug, indicating that the immune system or target tissue is being primed to react more strongly upon subsequent exposure. The related noun forms herkistys or herkistyminen refer to the process of sensitization, while the adjective herkistetty describes something that has already been sensitized.

In psychology, sensitization refers to an increased response to a stimulus after repeated exposure; in toxicology and pharmacology, sensitization denotes heightened reactivity to chemicals or drugs. The term can also appear in everyday usage to indicate that someone or something has become more sensitive to a situation or influence.

Grammatical note: Finnish forms the passive present with endings such as -tetään, -taan, or -tään depending on vowel harmony; herkistetään is the standard form used for most subjects in indefinite-agent statements. The subject is often implicit, allowing general statements about the process.

Examples:

- Eläin herkistetään allergeenille.

- Henkilö voidaan herkistää lääkkeen haittavaikutukselle.