• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.60-66
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• 1994

Advances in molecular biology have renewed hope for the discovery of disease relevant gene. The basic strategy is gene mapping and likely to have on important role in psychiatric research and practice. Recent linkage studies of chromosomal loci to psychiatric diseases shed light on the potential for new genetics in psychiatric science. This article reviews molecular application to psychiatrymethodological issues in genetic linkage, study of gene expression by analysis of mRNA, and current linkage studies in psychiatric diseases.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.225-234
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• 2015

Neurobiological approach helps to resolve the mind-body dualism and develop new assessment and treatment approaches in psychiatry. However, it could be a problem to place too much emphasis on certain aspects of neurobiology, specifically structural neuroanatomy, because of the complexity or comorbidity of neuropsychiatric disorders. Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), for instance, is generally related to problems in motor skills and this movement disability is often related to perception. One account, two visual systems theory, relied on functional distinction in brain; ventral stream is responsible for visual recognition, and dorsal stream is responsible for the guidance of actions. However, Studies are now showing that shape perception is relevant to visually guided action, such as reaching-to-grasp an object. In this article, I reviewed fundamental findings of two-visual system theory and suggested problems of visually guided action to consider what shape perception implies for the two visual systems. Questions raised highlight possible limitations of adopting a structural neuroanatomical approach to account for perception and action effects, and by extent related psychiatric conditions such as DCD. In conclusion, neurobiological approach converging to neuropsychiatry, while useful, would be limited if it focuses too much on anatomical distinction.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.95-102
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• 2004

Backgrounds: It was thought that sport was related with mentality. Compared to psychology, psychiatry has so far paid rather little attention to athletes. In this overview, I attempted to introduce the ideas of various observers of sports with the view of clinical psychiatry and summarized basic principle role of psychiatrist. Results and Discussions : To understand the athletic frame of mind, it is helpful to observe athletes in their psychologic development and when we do so we can quickly see trends that are not apparent by observing mature athletes alone. Psychobiology of sport would discuss some of the endogenous neurochemicals(hormone, neurotransmitter) that may be part and parcel of the athlete's psychiatric status. The psychological problems that frequently interfere with training and competition may be divided into five categories 1) choke, 2) slump, 3) injury, 4) interpersonal problem, 5) training dilemma. Psychiatric problem also arise in athletes like general people. various method for psychiatric patients like psychotherapy, group therapy, family systems perspective, and pharmacotherapy could been applied to sports psychiatry. Conclusions Although the contribution of sports psychiatry to sport is clinical one, psychiatrist's interest in role and conflict of athlete would enhance the molding of humanistic athletes who enjoy their life and sports.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.115-122
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• 2000

The development of molecular biology has brought many changes in psychiatry. Molecular biology makes us possible to know the cause of mental disorders that provide the way to prevent the disorders, and to develop various accurate diagnostic and treatment methods for mental disorders. The author discusses the concept, cause, and treatment of mental disorders in the aspect of molecular biology. Importing the methods of molecular biology into psychiatry, we can anticipate to get a number of the goals of psychiatric genetics, including identification of specific susceptibility genes, clarification of the pathophysiological processes whereby these genes lead to symptoms, establishment of epigenetic factors that interact with these genes to produce disease, validation of nosological boundaries that more closely reflect the actions of these genes, and development of effective preventive and therapeutic interventions based on genetic counseling, gene therapy, and modification of permissive or protective environmental influences. In addition to their capacity to accelerate the discovery of new molecules participating in the nervous system's response to disease or to self-administered drugs, molecular biological strategies can also be used to determine how critical a particular gene product may be in mediating a cellular event with behavioral importance. Molecular biology probably enables us discover the environmental factors of mental disorders and allow rational drug design and gene therapies for mental disorders, by isolation of gene products that facilitate a basic understanding of the pathogenesis of these disorders. A specific genetic linkage may suggest a novel class of drugs that has not yet been tried. With respect to gene therapy, the hypothetical method would use a gene delivery system, most likely a modified virus, to insert a functional copy of a mutant gene into those brain cells that require the gene for normal function.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.124-137
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• 1996

As the society becomes more industrialized and modernized, we have more chances to experience a serious traumatic event. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has 3 major categories of symptoms such as memory disturbance, hyperarousal and avoidance or numbness. I reviewed the psychobiological evidences in 3 main categories of symptoms and the biological treatment after a brief review of the epidemiology, psychosocial etiology and diagnosis of PTSD. The memory disturbance of PTSD might be developed by the potentiation of the memory pathway mediated by norepinephrine. PTSD induces HPA axis abnormality, it might also develop hippocampal dysfunction, which might contribute to the memory disturbance. The kindling effect develops desensitization, which might develop reexperiencing of the traumatic events and hyperarousal state. Chronic aroused state of locus ceruleus with resultant chronic maladaptive state of norepinephrine system, might develop hyperarousal state. Social avoidance and physical numbing state in PTSD might be caused by serotnin or opiate system. Stress induced analgesia might be developed by opiate reliesed against the acute stress. The biologic research results would help the selective treatment of PTSD.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.71-78
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• 2001

The current understanding of the neurobiology of anxiety is generally based on experimental animal model, empirical effective psychopharmacological agents, chemical and naturalistic challenge paradigms, and psychoendocinological assessment. This article focuses on reviewing neuroanantomical, neuroendocinological and neurofunctional research of anxiety disorder. In the decade ahead, we anticipate that extension of current research and the new integrated approach promise novel insight into mechanism of anxiety.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.79-94
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• 2002

Polarisation of biological and psychosocial aspects of psychiatry is nowadays main stream. Current knowledges of the interaction between biology and psychology make it possible to consider a truly integrative approach of the two aspects. Research findings suggest that the neuronal plasticity is the key mechanism to answer how the mental function work to an environmental stimuli and how the psychotherapeutic approach work on the brain. Advances in neuroscience research have led to a more sophisticated understanding of how psychotherapy may affect brain function. Even though there have been a tremendous efforts to find out the neurobiological mechanism of mental function, the answer is at best premature. In this article, research findings about of neuronal plasticity, implicit memory, animal studies which were associated with psychotherapy and psychological aspects were reviewed.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.5-14
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• 2005

There has been an enormous progress in understanding of how genes contribute to both normal and abnormal development. Also many laboratory works are exploring the intricacies of how to develop in the human central nervous system. Understanding the mechanisms of cortical development gives essential insight into the pathogenesis of many genetic and acqured developmental psychiatric disorders, including autism, schizophrenia, and teaming disorder. Genes have been implicated in an ever-increasing number of disorders. Advance in genetics have begun to clarify the molecular basis of not only single-gene disorders, but also more complex phenotypes.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.83-89
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• 2001

In all ages and countries, dreaming has always been a topic that has interested people. Throughout history, theories about dreaming have been heavily dependent on concurrent theories in related domains. Many researchers have claimed that dreaming occurs during REM and NREM sleep and have rejected the strict association between REM sleep mechanisms and dreams. Although dreams may occur in both REM and NREM periods, they are likely to be produced by different mechanisms during REM and NREM sleep. All physicians managing dreaming-related problems in clinical practice need to understand the multidimensional aspects of dreaming. Therefore, I have reviewed the literature on mechanisms generating and the meaning of dreaming in the neurobiological and psychophysiological perspectives.

• Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.276-286
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• 2018

Circadian rhythm is a periodic and continuous change in physiological, behavioral, and mental characteristics that occurs in most organisms on the Earth, because the Earth rotates in a 24-hour cycle. The circadian system regulates daily rhythms of physiology and behavior, such as the sleep/wake cycle, body temperature, hormonal secretion, and mood. The influence of circadian rhythm is very powerful, but limited research has addressed its effects. However, many recent studies have shown that circadian dysregulation may play an important role in the pathogenesis of bipolar disorder. This review study examined current and noteworthy studies, including the authors' own works, and proposes a possible clinical application of bipolar disorder based on evidence that circadian rhythm dysregulation in bipolar disorder may be a key pathogenetic mechanism.