• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.60-68
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• 2019

Objectives : The association between thyroid-related hormones and cognitive function has been controversial. The purpose of this study is to compare the levels of thyroid-related hormones in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Furthermore, we investigated the relationship between thyroid-related hormones and cognitive function. Methods : From January 2011 to December 2018, we retrospectively reviewed 105 patients who were diagnosed with AD and MCI by visiting a dementia clinic at Ilsan Paik Hospital. Thyroid-related hormones [triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)] was measured using chemiluminescent immunoassay. An independent sample t-test was performed to analyze the mean value of thyroid-related hormones in patients of AD and MCI. To investigate whether thyroid-related hormones correlate significantly with Global deterioration scale (GDS), Clinical dementia rating (CDR) and scores of each The Korean version of the consortium to establish a registry for Alzheimer's disease items, we conducted a partial correlation analysis with geriatric depression scale-Korean version (GDS-K) scores as covariates. Results : There was no significant difference in the mean serum T3, T4 and TSH levels between patients of the AD and the MCI, but the Construction Praxis Test (CPT) showed a significant positive correlation with the serum TSH concentration (p-value=0.004). Conclusions : In our study, the positive correlation between serum TSH level and the CPT associated with executive function was found to be helpful in understanding the association between thyroid-related hormones and the pathophysiology of dementia. Prospective studies in regard of the pathophysiology of thyroid-related hormones on cognitive function will be necessary in the future.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.42-49
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• 2019

Objectives : Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is a life-saving therapy for patients with terminal liver disease. Many studies have focused on recipients rather than donors. The aim of this study was to assess the emotional status and personality characteristics of LDLT donors. Methods : We evaluated 218 subjects (126 male, 92 female) who visited Daegu Catholic University Medical Center from August 2012 to July 2018. A retrospective review of their preoperative psychological evaluation was done. We investigated epidemiological data and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 questionnaire. Subanalysis was done depending on whether subjects actually underwent surgery, relationship with the recipient, and their gender. Results : Mean age of subjects was $32.19{\pm}10.91years$. 187 subjects received LDLT surgery (actual donors) while 31 subjects didn't (potential donors). Donor-recipient relationship included husband-wife, parent-children, brother-sister etc. Subjects had statistical significance on validity scale L, F, K and all clinical scales compared to the control group. Potential donors had significant difference in F(b), F(p), K, S, Pa, AGGR, PSYC, DISC and NEGE scales compared to actual donors. F, D and NEGE scales were found to be predictive for actual donation. Subanalysis on donor-recipient relationship and gender also showed significant difference in certain scales. Conclusions : Under-reporting of psychological problems should be considered when evaluating living-liver donors. Information about the donor's overall psychosocial background, mental status and donation process should also be acquired.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.173-182
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• 2005

This review is a clinical and research update of recent literature related to childhood onset schizophrenia (with an onset of psychosis by age 12). Childhood onset schizophrenia(COS) is a rare disorder, but that may represent a more homogeneous patient population in which to search for risk or etiologic factors of schizophrenia. These overview data show that COS shares the same clinical and neurobiological features as later onset forms of the disorder. Compared with later onset schizophrenia, however, this subgroup of patients appear to have more severe premorbid neurodevelopmental abnormalities, more cytogenic abnormalies, poor outcome, and potentially greater family histories of schizophrenia and associated spectrum disorders. Future studies of this subgroup may provide important clues as to the genetic basis for schizophrenia and how gene products influence certain feature of the disease, such as age of onset and mode of inheritance.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.245-250
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• 1996

This research was performed to find out the changes of serotonin receptors in the platelet of alcoholics. Using $_{125}I-LSD$ as a radioligand. We obtained the following results. 1) In the comparison of patients vs controls, $B_{max}$ of the former was significantly higher than that of the latter(P=0.0017). But there was no significant difference in the Kd between the two groups. 2) In the comparison of type 1 vs type 2, alcoholics by cloninger's classification $B_{max}$ of the latter was significantly higher than that of the farmer(P=0.0396). But there was no significant difference in the Kd between the two groups. 3) In the comparison of alcohol abuse vs alcohol dependence, there were no significant differences in the value of $B_{max}$ and Kd between the two groups. These results support the hypothesis of serotonin-deficit in alcoholism. Furthermore, it can be inferred that the increase of platelet serotonin receptors in alcoholics might be used as a trait marker.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.190-197
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• 1998

Objectives：This study was conducted to investigate the diagnostic utility of the Rorschach schizophrenia/depression/coping deficite index in child-adolescent parent groups(schizophrenia, depression,depressive conduct disorder). Methods：Three child-adolescent parent groups(schizophrenia(18), depression(20), depressive conduct disorder(19)) were individyally assessed using the Rorschach test and schizophrenia/depression/coping deficite index scores were analyzed. Results：The results showed significant difference among three groups on only SCZI and significantly higher SCZI score of schizophrenia group than other two groups. When the critical value of SCZI was 4, diagnostic hit rate was 96.5%, and when the critical value of DEPI was 3, diagnostic hit rate was 57.9%, and when the critical value of CDI was 4, diagnostic hit rate was 66.6%.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.42-50
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• 1999

Alexithymia refers to a specific disturbance in psychic functioning characterized by difficulties in the capacity to verbalize affect and to elabolate fantasies. Although it was initially described in the context of psychosomatic illness, alexithymic charateristics may be observed in patients with a wide range of medical and psychiatric disorders. This study was designed to investigate alexithymic characteristics in the patients with alcoholism using Scored Archetypal 9 Test(SAT9) and Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 Korea version(TAS-20K). Twenty patients with alcoholism and twenty-four normal controls completed these tests. The results were as follows. 1) Patient group with alcoholism were significantly more alexithymic than normal control group in both SAT9 and TAS-20K. 2) No significant difference in the alexithymic measures was found between genders of both group. 3) No significant correlation was found between alexithymic measures and age or education level in both group. 4) Measures between SAT9 and TAS-20K showed significant correlation in the patient group.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.160-175
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• 1991

The purpose of this study is to investigate the parental marital relationships and the parent-child relationships of child psychiatric parents and its control group. This study was carried out two questionnaire instruments ; The marital satisfaction inventory(MSI) and the dyadic adjustment scale(DAS). The subjects are parents of the child psychiatric patients. A matched control group and parents of child psychiatric parents in Seoul area which were collected from July 1987 to September 1987, and classified into five subgroups : 1 Psychiatric disorder 2) Neurotic disorder 3) Tic disorder 4) Autistic disorder 5) Mental retardation. The results are as following ; 1) M.S.I scale scores of parents of patients group are lower than that of control group. 2) D.A.S scale score of parents of patients group is significantly lower than that of the control group(P<0.01). 3) The global distress scale(GDS) of the M.S.I. was most positively correlated with affective communication(AFC) and problem-sloving communication(PSC). 4) Female shoed more modern concept of role identification than male but tend to have heavier role assignment especially in child rearing practices which could be characterized by maternal domination. 5) Affective communication and sexual relationship between married couple and child rearing practices are influenced by their own family history of distress. 6) The marital global distress scale(GDS) score was highest in the parents of psychosis, the next in the parents of neurosis, autism, mental retardation, and tic disorder in descending order of severity. 7) The dyadic maladjustment score was highest in the parents of psychosis, the next in the parents of neurosis, tic, autism and mental retardation in descending order of severity. 8) Conflict in child rearing and parenting problems were particularly prominent in parents of the tic patients, and their marital relationship was not significantly disturbed. The above finding suggested that couple adjustment and marital dissatisfaction were closely related with child rearing problems and the children's disorder. So marital dissatisfaction and marital maladjustment seem to play a significant role in the genesis of psychosis and neurosis not much in autism and mental retardation.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.227-234
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• 1999

An association of low total cholesterol in blood with psychiatric diseases and suicidal behavior has been suggested. As part of an attempt to further explore this relationship, we examine first, whether serum cholesterol levels in psychiatric patients with suicidal attempt would be lower than in non-suicidal psychiatric inpatients or normal controls, second, whether such significant difference of cholesterol levels would be present when the diagnostic groups are analyzed separately, third, whether low cholesterol level would be associated with a history of serious suicidal attempts, and finally, whether low cholesterol level in suicide attempters is a state or a trait marker. We determined the serum cholesterol levels in 231 patients admitted to an emergency room following an suicidal attempt, in the same numbers of age-, sex- and diagnosis- matched non-suicidal psychiatric controls, and in the same numbers of age-, sex matched normal controls. The seriousness of an attempt was divided into 5 grades according to the degree of the resulting medical injury. Total cholesterol levels in suicide attempters were significantly lower compared with both psychiatric and normal controls, when sex, age, and nutritional status (i.e., body mass index) were controlled for. This significant relationship was observed in major depressive disorders and personality disorders, but not in schizophrenia and bipolar type I disorders. The severity of suicide by a lowering of blood cholesterol was related to the magnitude of the cholesterol reduction. After treatment of their psychiatric ailments, the cholesterol levels in suicide attempters were significantly increased. This result suggests that low cholesterol level in psychiatric patients might be a potential biological marker of suicide risk. It is hypothesized that low cholesterol levels is associated with the suicide by modifying the serotonin metabolism, the production of interleukin-2 and melatonin metabolism in psychiatric patients.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.127-135
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• 2004

Object:The goal of this study was to examine the changes in body weight and glucose levels of the patients treated with risperidone, clozapine or haloperidol in order to compare the effect of risperidone or clozapine with that of haloperidol. Methods:For nine months(January to September, 2003), a prospective study was performed in 60 patients with chronic schizophrenia who were in Seoul National Hospital. Two-week period was required for a drug wash-out. The patients were randomly assigned to risperidone, clozapine and haloperidol groups. They were given risperidone(n=20), clozapine(n=20) and haloperidol(n=20), respectively, everyday for 12 weeks. To examine the effects of these drugs on body weight and fasting glucose levels, we measured body weight and glucose levels of all the patients first without the drug treatment and at each end of 4, 8, and 12-week periods with the treatment. And we examined the differences among three groups in the changes of body weight and fasting glucose levels. Results:There were no significant differences in the changes of the body weight and fasting glucose levels between the atypical antipsychotics(risperidone or clozapine) and the typical antipsychotics(haloperidol). Conclusion:The study in the patients with chronic schizophrenia suggests that risperidone or clozapine do not cause any additional effects on body weight or glucose levels compared to haloperidol.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.279-288
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• 2006

Objectives : We investigated the association of SNP A and P1763 polymorphisms on dystrobrevin binding protein 1(DTNBP1) gene with smooth pursuit eye movement(SPEM) abnormality in Korean schizophrenic patients. Methods : We measured SPEM function in 217 Korean schizophrenics(male 116, female 101) and divided them into two groups, one is a good SPEM function group and the other is a poor SPEM function group. We then analyzed SNP A polymorphism and P1763 polymorphism on DTNBP1 gene from their DNAs extracted from their blood. We compared the differences of genotype and allele distributions of the two polymorphisms on DTNBP1 gene between the two groups. Results : The Ln S/N ratio(mean${\pm}$SD) of the good SPEM function group was $4.39{\pm}0.33$ and the ratio of poor SPEM function group was $3.17{\pm}0.71$. There were no statistically significant differences of age and male/female ratio between the two groups. There were no significant differences of genotype or allele distributions of the SNP A polymorphism and P1763 polymorphism on DTNBP1 gene between the two schizophrenic groups divided by SPEM function. Conclusion : The results suggest that SNP A polymorphism and P1763 polymorphism on DTNBP1 gene might not be related to SPEM function abnormality in schizophrenia.