• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.100-106
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• 2007

Objectives : The objective of the present study was to investigate alexithymia in major depressive disorder(MDD) and subclinical depression(SCD). Methods : Three hundred eighty-six community-dwelling adults(238 females and 148 males, age 19-79; mean age $43.0{\pm}13.9$) were recruited. Structured clinical Interview for DSM-IV(SCID) was conducted for the diagnosis of MDD or other Axis I psychiatric disorders. The Center for Epidemiological Studies for Depression Scale(CES-D) and the Totonto Alexithymia Scale(TAS) were administered to assess depressive symptom and alexithymia, respectively. Among subjects without MDD, those who had minor depressive disorder on the SCID or high scores(i.e. over 16) on the CES-D were defined as subjects with SCD. TAS total score and factor I, II, III scores of TAS in MDD, SCD, and non-depressive controls were compared. Results : Among 386 subjects, 38 subjects(9.8%) were diagnosed as MDD by DSM-IV criteria, while 57 subjects(14.8%) were classified into SCD group. There were significant differences between 3 groups(MDD, SCD and non-depressive controls) in total score($F_{2,383}=14.0$, p<0.01), factor I(difficulty in identifying feeling)($F_{2,383}=23.4$, p<0.01) and factor II(difficulty in describing feeling)($F_{2,383}=7.8$, p<0.01), but not factor III(external oriented thinking)($F_{2,383}=1.8$, p=0.16) of TAS. In post-hoc analysis, both MDD subjects and SCD subjects had higher scores in TAS total, factor I and factor II, compared to non-depressive controls(all p<0.01). In contrast, there were no significant differences between MDD subjects and SCD subjects in any TAS factor. Conclusion : In this study, both MDD subjects and SCD subjects were more alexithymic than non-depressive control subjects. These findings suggest that SCD, as well as MDD, is also related to alexithymia.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 1999

Traumatic Brain Injury(TBI) of any severity can result in broad and persisting biopsychosocial sequelae. Depression after TBI occur at a greater frequency than in the general population, with estimates approaching 25% to 50% for major depression, and 155 to 30% for dysthmia. Acute onset depressions are related to lesion location and may have their etiology in biological response of the injured brain, whereas delayed onset depressions may be mediated by psychosocial factors, suggesting psychological reactions as a possible mechanism. Anxious depressions are associated with right hemisphere lesions, whereas major depressions alone are associated with left dorsolateral frontal and left basal ganglia lesions. However, there is insufficient information to postulate a specific neuroanatomic model for TBI-related depression.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Information Management Conference
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• 2012.08a
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• pp.143-146
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• 2012

본 연구에서는 MEDLINE에 수록된 논문의 암 관련 우울증 문헌을 대상으로 MeSH(Medical Subject Headings) 키워드를 이용하여 1992년부터 2011년까지 20년간의 연구 동향을 분석하였다. 암과 우울증에 해당하는 MeSH 키워드를 주제로 다룬 논문 3,389편과 50,778개의 키워드를 대상으로 주요 학술지 및 암 발병 위치와 우울증 치료요법을 분석하였다. 암 관련 우울증 논문의 암 발병 위치별 빈도는 유방암이 799편으로 가장 높았으며, 폐암, 전립선암, 뇌종양, 두경부암이 뒤를 이었다. 또한 우울증 치료 요법별 빈도는 비약물치료가 552편으로 약물치료 400편보다 높게 나타났으며 비약물치료는 크게 상담치료와 상담 외 치료에 대한 키워드로 구분되었고, 약물치료는 치료 요법명과 약명으로 다시 구분되었다.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.12-27
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• 1994

Until recently there were arguments on the existence and the definition of childhood depression. In DSM-III(1980) childhood depression was accepted as the formal psychiatric disorder in childhood. As the diagnostic criteria for childhood depression is less clearly defined than those for other psychiatric disorders as well as prominent age-related variations in depression symptomatology, informations from various sources are very important in accurate diagnosis of childhood depression. Present study reviewed various assessment methods such as self-report questionnaires, interviews, behavior rating scales, structured tests and projective techniques with discussion on the merits and limitations of each method. Also several issues on the reliability and the validity of assessment techniques for childhood depression were discussed.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.22-28
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• 2007

The pregnancy and postpartum period appear to be a time of heightened vulnerability for the development of major depression in some women. Postpartum depression affects 10% of women within a few weeks immediately postpartum. Postpartum depression is associated with disturbances in the mother-infant relationship, which in turn have an adverse impact on the course of child cognitive and emotional development. Depression during pregnancy is also common, although it has been relatively neglected. Psychopathological symptoms during pregnancy have physiological consequences for the fetus. Understanding the aetiology of perinatal depression requires integrating of multiple psychosocial and biological risk factors. The treatment of depressed pregnant women requires skilled decision making by psychiatrists. Risk-benefit analysis is appropriate method for intervention fur depression in pregnancy. Effective treatments for depression in pregnancy include psychotherapy, antidepressant medication and electroconvulsive therapy. In treatment of postpartum depression, the biological, psychological, and social interventions are included. Prescribing antidepressants(such as fluoxetine), estrogen in severe and chronic cases, and counselling can be effective for improving maternal mood and aspects of infant outcome. Ongoing research is directed to further elucidating neurohormonal and psychosocial contributions to depression during pregnancy or postpartum. Screening for risk factors and symptoms for depression need to be incorporated into antenatal and pediatric clinics.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.209-220
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• 2000

The purpose of this study is to find out the characteristics of depressive episode about major depression and bipolar disorder in child and adolescent. The subjects of this study were 34 major depression patients and 17 bipolar disorder patients hospitalized at child and adolescent psychiatry in OO university children's hospital from 1st March 1993 to 31st October 1999. The method of this study is to review socio-demographic characteristics, diagnostic classification, chief problems and symptoms at admission, frequency of symptoms, maternal pregnancy problem history, childhood developmental history, coexisting psychiatric disorders, family psychopathology and family history and therapeutic response through their chart. 1) The ratio of male was higher than that of female in major depressive disorder while they are similar in manic episode, bipolar disorder. 2) Average onset age of bipolar disorder was 14 years 1 month and it was 12 years 8 months in the case of major depression As a result, average onset age of major depression is lower than that of bipolar disorder. 3) The patients complained of vegetative symptoms than somatic symptoms in both bipolar disorder and depressive disorder. Also, the cases of major depression developed more suicide idea symptom while the case of bipolar disorder developed more aggressive symptoms. In the respect of psychotic symptoms, delusion was more frequently shown in major depression, but halucination was more often shown in bipolar disorder. 4) Anxiety disorder coexisted most frequently in two groups. And there coexisted symptoms such as somartoform disorder, mental retardation and personality disorder in both cases. 5) The influence of family loading was remarkable in both cases. Above all, the development of major depression had to do with child abuse history and inappropriate care of family. It is apparent that there are distinctive differences between major depression and bipolar disorder in child and adolescent through the study, just as in adult cases. Therefore the differences of clinical characteristics between two disorders is founded in coexisting disorders and clinical symptoms including onset age, somatic symptoms and vegetative symptoms.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.275-287
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• 2008

Depression and coronary artery disease are both highly prevalent diseases. Many previous studies suggest that depression is a common comorbid condition in patients with coronary artery disease and has a significant negative impact on the onset, course, and prognosis of coronary artery disease. However, the exact mechanisms that underlie the association between these two diseases remain unclear. Pathophysiologic mechanisms that may explain the effect of depression on coronary artery disease include hypercoagulability, hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and autonomic nervous system dysregulation, altered inflammatory response. On the contrary, pathophysiologic mechanisms in coronary artery disease that affect depression are less well known. It is also suggested that both diseases may share a common genetic vulnerability. The authors reviewed the literature on the pathophysiologic relationships of depression and coronary heart disease.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.179-188
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• 2012

This research study was to examine the relationships of social supports and depression among long-term care center residents. Depression of long-term care center residents is the most common mental health problem confronting older adults. It is estimated that 13 percent of people aged 65 years and over have a major depressive disorder in Korean Society of Welfare for the Aged. Social support is a key ingredient in dealing with emotional distress and a critical in helping people to cope with all kinds of extreme circumstance. As the result of this research, Perceived social support was found to be related to depression. However, network size was not a predictor of depression, and high health status is accounted for a lower portion of the variance in depression., the poor health status was one of the most powerful predictors of depression, From results of this research study, for social workers who are employed institutional-based agencies.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.85 no.4
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• pp.586-595
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• 1996

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of participation in a forest program on the level of depression changes in the participants. Total of 501 university students residing in the middle province of Korea were administered Beck Depression Inventory(BDI). Among them, 32 students were selected as participants of the program based on the scores of the BDI. A 5-day forest program included climbing, sharing experience with others and so on. Pre and post tests control group research design was employed for this study, with BDI measures taken from each of 32 participants on three time frames : 2 weeks before the program, immediately before participation, and immediately after participation. BDI scores were expected to decrease as a result of forest program participation. The study results supported this hypothesis.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.84-88
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• 2012

Introduction: The objective of the present study was to investigate the independent effects of major depressive disorder (MDD) and insomnia on somatization, respectively. Methods: A total of 181 participants (73 males and 108 females ; mean age $41.59{\pm}8.92$) without serious medical problem were recruited from a community and a psychiatric clinic in Republic of Korea. Subjects were divided into 4 groups based on the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV axis I disorder (SCID-IV) and sleep questionnaire : 1) normal controls (n=127), 2) primary insomnia (n=11), 3) MDD without insomnia (n=14), and 4) MDD with insomnia (n=29). All participants were requested to complete the somatization subscores of the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R). Results: There were significant between-group differences in somatization score (F=25.30, p<0.001). Subjects with both MDD and insomnia showed higher somatization score compared to normal control (p<0.001), subjects with primary insomnia (p=0.01), or MDD subjects without insomnia (p<0.001). Subjects with primary insomnia had higher somatization score than normal controls (p<0.01), while there was no significant difference between MDD subjects without insomnia and normal controls. In multiple regression, presence of insomnia predicted higher somatization score (beta=0.44, p<0.001), while there was only non-significant association between MDD and somatization (beta=0.14, p=0.08). Conclusion: In the current study, insomnia was associated with somatization independently from major depression. Subjects with primary insomnia showed higher somatization. Within MDD patients, presence of insomnia was related to higher somatization. Our finding suggests that insomnia may partly mediate the relationship between depression and somatization.