• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.981-995
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• 2021

This study investigated the differences in sociodemographic variables, alcoholism recovery, quality of life, empowerment and self-esteem based on different abstinence periods of alcohol use disorder. The study population from seven different regions in nationwide were 207 individuals with alcohol use disorder who had been abstinent. According to previous studies, 207 individuals were classified into different abstinence periods: less than one year, more than one to five years, and more than five years. As a result, the sociodemographic variables affecting differences in groups were gender, age, marital status, and economic activity. In addition, the group that maintained abstinence from alcohol for more than one year showed significant differences in alcoholism recovery, quality of life, empowerment, and self-esteem than those that maintained abstinence from alcohol for less than one year. Regardless of abstinence periods, alcoholism recovery, quality of life, empowerment, and self-esteem showed significant positive correlations. Therefore, the results of this study identified the factors influencing long-term abstinence and effects and suggested the need for alcohol-dependent recovery programs or therapeutic interventions for individuals who abstained from alcohol use.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.15-19
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• 2011

Alcohol is so-called "a magic bullet" affecting on the various organs and central and peripheral nervous systems and causes mental illness as well as physiological and psychological dependence. Also, alcohol problem is related with serious social problems including family violence, suicide, loss of job and crimes. Because alcohol use disorder is a common cause of consultation and liaison in general hospital, we could consider alcohol use disorder of one of psychosomatic disorder. Thus, I reviewed the prevalence, rate of consultation, and general consultant and treatment issues in treating patients with substance use disorder in a psychosomatic medicine.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.196-204
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• 2003

Objectives: It is known that sedative hypnotics would make cross tolerance with alcohol and deteriorate quality of sleep in alcoholics. Light therapy is effective non-pharmacological intervention for sleep disturbance in circadian phase disorders, jet-lag, shift-work and age-related sleep disorders. Authors would investigate the effects of morning light therapy on sleep of patients with alcohol dependence during recovery state without withdrawal symptoms. Methods: 13 patients with alcohol dependence who have not any alcohol withdrawal symptom were recruited. Light therapy during 1 hour in the morning had been administered by 2500 Lux light box through serial 3 days. Sleep state of subjects were assessed by sleep log and the subjective satisfaction at sleep was by 100 mm visual analogue scale. Sleepiness, depressive mood, anxiety were evaluated by 100mm visual analogue scale at 8 AM, 2 PM and 8 PM. For assessment of performance ability that would be associated with sleepiness and vigilance, trail making test A, B and digit symbol substitution test were performed by two times on base line and 4th day. Univariate repeated-measures ANOVAs were performed for each measures except performance tests which were analysed by paired t-test. Results: Sleep latency and sleep efficiency were significantly improved with light therapy and satisfaction at sleep was. There was no significant difference in sleepiness at 2 PM with light therapy but sleepiness at 8 AM significantly decreased and at 8 PM increased. The time to complete Trail making test and digit symbol substitution test were significantly shortened at 4th day compared with baseline. Fatigue at 8 AM were not significantly changed with light therapy but at 2 PM and 8 PM significantly decreased. Depressive mood and anxiety were not significantly changed with light therapy. Conclusion: Although this study had some limitations, it showed that light therapy would be effective modality on sleep disturbance of patients with alcohol dependence who have recovered from alcohol withdrawal symptoms. It is proposed that short term light therapy could be used clinically for alcoholics with insomnia. In the future, long term controlled studies using more objective tools for sleep are required to further investigate the effect of light therapy in alcoholics.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.16-20
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• 2010

Objectives: We review the sleep problems of the alcohol dependence patients. Especially we are interested in the prevalence, the severity of symptoms, anxiety, depression, and sleep quality of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in the alcohol dependence patients. Methods: We recruit 86 alcohol dependence patients who were admitted from October 6th, 2008 to October 17th, 2008. We interviewed each patient and evaluated sleep questionnaires such as the Sleep Disorder Questionnaire (SDQ), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG) rating scale. The presence of RLS and its severity were assessed using the IRLSSG diagnostic criteria and the IRLSSG severity scale, respectively. Depression and anxiety were evaluated by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Beck anxiety inventory (BAI). Results: Of all 86 patients, 59 patients have insomnia, 33 patients have RLS, 30 patients have Periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD), 29 patients have nightmare. RLS patients have more high score in the BAI ($21.70{\pm}10.36$ vs $14.67{\pm}11.98$), and their sleep quality was poor in the PSQI ($11.09{\pm}4.08$ vs $7.92{\pm}3.91$) than non-RLS patients. Conclusion: This study shows that alcohol dependence patients show many sleep problems such as insomnia and RLS. So we should notice that the sleep problems of alcohol dependence patients are important in clinical approach and treatment.

• 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.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.603-611
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• 2007

Initially, this study was to develop reliable and effective alcohol-associated visual cues. Alcoholic picture cues were chosen from the Normative Appetitive Picture System (NAPS). Additional images consisted of Korean beer and mild liquor was pre-tested to select the pictures that would induce craving most intensely. The images that recorded the highest scores on a scale were chosen through the pre-test. And then, the reliability and validity were examined for the selected alcohol cues from NAPS and pre-test via another psychometric test. Secondly, the study was to investigate differences in craving between subjects with alcohol use disorders (AUDs) and non-alcoholic control subjects when exposed to the alcohol visual cues. Alcohol abusers with AUD (n=9) and demographically similar non-abusers (n=9) participated in this study. After given 5cc of alcohol, subjects were exposed to different types of stimuli (i.e., alcohol, nonalcoholic beverage, and visual control pictures and one rest (cross-hair)). Craving levels were rated through self-report on a Likert scale immediately after the presentation of visual cues. Results showed statistically significant differences between the AUD group and the control group in the Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS) scores, pre-sip and post-sip alcohol craving. Also, the AUD group showed significantly a higher level of craving during alcohol cues compared to the control group. In conclusion, alcohol craving induced by alcohol cues among subjects with AUD was found to be different from that of non-abusers.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.109-118
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• 2011

Objectives Many studies have suggested different neurobiological findings and clinical courses in alcoholism. Recently, subtyping in alcohol dependence has become essential to overcome the heterogeneity of patients. Among several criteria of subtypes, Lesch's typology is proposed to integrate biological, social, and psychological factors. This review provides neurobiological findings and treatment-responses of alcohol dependence according to Lesch's typology. Method We searched the international published medical literature using the search terms 'Lesch's typology' and 'alcohol dependence' and using the limits 'human'. Results We identified 17 studies with subjects of alcohol dependence according to Lesch's typology. Conclusion They indicated that each subtype of Lesch's typology can have specific neurobiological factors and different clinical responses as follows. Lesch's subtype 1 is characterized by severe withdrawal symptoms and associated with elevated glutamate and homocysteine. Lesch's subtype 2 is defined by individuals who drink alcohol as self-medication for anxiety. Their craving has significant positive correlations with prolactin, leptin level, or intake-volume (vasopressin). Lesch's subtype 4 is related to cerebral dysfunction and associated with increased glutamate and left-handedness. Clinical trials showed that naltrexone was effective in Lesch's subtype 3 and 4 patients, while acamprosate was effective in the subtypes 1 and 2.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 2019

Objectives: Insomnia is not only the most common sleep-related disorder, but also is one of the most important. Knowledge of the comorbidities of insomnia is essential for proper treatment including pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods to prevent disease chronification. This study aimed to determine sleep clinic patients' knowledge of insomnia. Methods: This study recruited 44 patients (24 males and 20 females; mean age $54.11{\pm}16.30years$) from the sleep clinic at National Center for Mental Health. All subjects were asked to complete a self-report questionnaire about their reasons for visiting a sleep clinic and about their knowledge of treatment and comorbidities of insomnia. Results: The reasons for visiting the sleep clinic were insomnia symptoms of daytime sleepiness, irregular sleeping time, nightmares, snoring, and sleep apnea, in that order. Of the responders, 72.7% had a comorbidity of insomnia, and 22.7% showed high-risk alcohol use. In addition, 70.5% of responders chose pharmacological treatment of insomnia as the first option and reported collection of information about treatment of insomnia mainly from the internet and medical staff. More than half (52.3%) of the respondents reported that they had never heard about non-pharmacological treatments of insomnia such as cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT-I) or light therapy. The response rate about comorbidities of varied, with 75% of responders reporting knowledge of the relation between insomnia and depression, but only 38.6% stating awareness of the relation between insomnia and alcohol use disorder. Of the total responders, 68.2% were worried about hypnotics for insomnia treatment, and 70% were concerned about drug dependence. Conclusion: This study showed that patients at a sleep clinic had limited knowledge about insomnia. It is necessary to develop standardized insomnia treatment guidelines and educational handbooks for those suffering from insomnia. In addition, evaluation of alcohol use disorders is essential in the initial assessment of sleep disorders.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.51-60
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• 2001

One-pot Mannich reaction of substituted hydroxy aromatic compounds with secondary amines in an aprotic solvent has been studied. The results demonstrate that the relative reactivity and regioselectivity of the Mannich reaction depend on the steric hindrance of amines as well as the nucleophilicity of hydroxy aromatic rings.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.3-10
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• 2000

Objectives : The author wanted to summarize the psychiatric and social aspects of the patients with hepatitis B virus infection. Methods : The author reviewed all pertinent citations in the Medline database from 1966 to 1999. Results : Psychiatric problems in this population include delirium, psychotic disorder due to general medical condition(especially mania), anxiety, depression, adjustment disorder, alcohol abuse/dependence, and drug abuse/dependence. Social aspects of the patients with hepatitis B viral infection relate to the stigma of being a carrier, guilty feeling about infection, guilty feeling about increased family burden, impacts of having hepatitis on interpersonal relations, sexual difficulties, and job loss with increased financial burden, and health care worker's refusal. Conclusions : Appropriate early educational counseling interventions regarding the expected course and psychosocial intervention should be tailored to the sociocultural needs of special populations. Those interventions will increase compliance of treatment and prevent progression to hepatocellalar carcinoma from hepatitis.