• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.127-132
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• 2009

Marchiafava-Bignami disease(MBD) is a rare complication of chronic alcoholism characterized by symmetrical demyelination of the corpus callosum. We report a case of MBD in a Korean patient having chronic alcohol dependence. The patient exhibited mental depression, weakness of all four limbs and dysarthria. Laboratory data showed mild hyponatremia. Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) revealed unusual symmetrical resolving lesions of the putamen in addition to the typically observed lesion of the corpus callosum. The neurologic disturbances were gradually improved with the normalization of low plasma sodium levels. Marked improvement of abnormal MRI findings was noted after thiamine supplement, though the patient still exhibited severe cognitive impairment.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.202-215
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• 2001

This is an exploratory study to describe drinking patterns and alcohol-related problems (ARP) in women. A probability sample was drawn from Kyungnam Providence area 20 to 59 age by a multi- stage cluster sampling method and secondary data analysis was used. Drinking patterns in this study involve lifetime prevalence of alcohol use, year prevalence, month prevalence , frequency and usual quantity of drinking alcohol in a situation, ARPs were measured by employing a modified version of ARP developed by Alcohol Research Group in U.S.A. Three measurements were constructed to represent alcohol-related problems by summing up 41 alcoholic statements, which were consequence, social consequence and dependence. The results were as follows; 1) The lifetime prevalence of alcohol use in women was $80.3\%$ and year prevalence $78.3\%$. High prevalence rates of drinking were observed in the twenties who have at least community college diploma. and frequencies of alcohol use were increased as age increased. 2) More than $27.3\%$ of the respondents who were reported to experience at least a ARP in a year. 3) ARPs were associated with age, religion, frequency and usual quantity of drinking alcohol in situation. Issues were proposed with respect to research methodology and policy implications for public health.

• Korea-Australia Rheology Journal
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.79-85
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• 2005

Aqueous mixtures of hyaluronic acid and poly(vinyl alcohol) system and hydrogels thereof were introduced to obtain new bioartificial materials that have excellent mechanical properties, biocompatibility and enhanced rheological properties. The interactions between hyaluronic acid and poly(vinyl alcohol) and/or borax were investigated by rheological measurements. Preparation parameters of the aqueous mixtures were mixture composition, the degree of hydrolysis of poly(vinyl alcohol) and borax concentration. From the rheological behavior, it could be deduced that the key factor of the interaction between hyaluronic acid and poly(vinyl alcohol) was the hydrogen bonding between them and the effect was pronounced with borax. Enhanced viscosity was observed at the composition of $20wt\%$ of hyaluronic acid solution and $80wt\%$ of poly(vinyl alcohol) and borax solution. Rheological properties were influenced by the degree of hydrolysis of poly(vinyl alcohol) and borax concentration. As the degree of hydrolysis and borax concentration increased, rheological properties increased due to the increased hydrogen bonding and networking of hyaluronate aggregates. Physical hydrogels from hyaluronic acid and poly(vinyl alcohol) were prepared and the composition dependence of the gels was rheologically investigated as well.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.263-270
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• 2013

Objectives : Galgunhaejutang extract (GHT) is a Traditional Korean medical herbal mixture that has been tradtionally used to treat alcohol consumption. This study was preformed to evaluate the effects of GHT on alcohol consumption in C57BL/6 mice. Methods : Sixty three C57BL/6 mice were alcohol dependence-induced by limited access paradigm. Water, GHT 0.688 g/kg (GHT-L), or GHT 3.45 g/kg (GHT-H) were administrated for 10 days. The amounts of alcohol consumption for 2 hours, water consumption for 22 hours, food intake for 24 hours and body weight were measured. Results : There weren't significant differences in 2 hours of alcohol consumption, 22 hours of water consumption, 24 hours of food intake and body weight for ten days between vehicle group and GHT-L or GHT-H group. Conclusions : Further studies employing multi-dose and long term administration of GHT (more than 10 days) might be of benefit.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.103-112
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• 2018

This study aimed to identify specific psychological and brain activation responses relating to the processing of negative emotions in patients with alcohol dependency. The authors hypothesized that patients with alcohol dependency would demonstrate the abnormal functioning of brain regions involved in negative emotions. Eleven male patients diagnosed with alcohol dependence in an inpatient alcohol treatment facility and 13 social drinkers with similar demographics were scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) as they viewed film clips that evoked negative emotions. During exposure to negative emotional stimuli, the control group evinced significantly greater activity in the right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in comparison to patients with alcohol dependency. Correlation analyses demonstrated a negative association in the relationship between beta values from the right ACC and amygdala in participants classified in the control group. No statistically significant relationship was observed for blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) changes between the two regions in the patient group during the elicitation of negative emotions. On the other hand, patients exhibited a greater activation of the amygdala as negative emotions were induced. These results suggest that alcoholism presents pathophysiology of brain activation that is distinct from the responses of healthy individuals functioning as controls.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Rural Health Nursing
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.33-45
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was done to identify attitudes to smoking, beliefs about smoking and factors influencing nicotine dependence in woman smokers. Methods: Data was collected from 131 women smokers, who visited a public health center between January and July. 2012. Collected data were analyzed using the SPSS 18.0 program. Results: Mean score for attitude to smoking was $23.7{\pm}3.2$, beliefs about smoking, $18.6{\pm}2.9$, and nicotine dependence, $4.3{\pm}2.1$. Attitude to smoking of the woman smokers was significantly different according to marital status, beliefs about smoking were significantly different according to marital status and being employed. Nicotine dependence was significantly different according to frequency of alcohol consumption, stress, number of cigarettes smoked. There was a correlation between attitude to smoking and beliefs about smoking. Age when starting to smoke, number of cigarettes, and length of time one has smoked accounted for 31.0% of nicotine dependence. Conclusion: The results indicate that increasing knowledge and improving attitudes toward smoking as well as training on stress management and exercise are needed. Also, a distinct mediation should be developed for women smokers. Especially, in-depth research is needed to identify psycho-social behavior-related variables for the health promotion of young women smokers.

• Health Policy and Management
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.58-67
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• 2019

Background: In this study, we aimed to investigate the drinking behaviors and drinking-related problems of college students in South Korea to produce national alcohol statistics. Methods: We carefully examined the questionnaires and previous research developed in the previous research project and selected questions that reflect the special environment and culture of college students. In order to stratify a nationally representative sample of college students, the distribution of students around the country were found through the educational statistics database of the Korea Educational Development Institute. Based on this information, we conducted a survey in collaboration with Gallup (Korea) to survey and analyze the drinking behaviors of 5,024 Korean students. Results: A nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2017, for Korean college students. A total of 5,024 students were recruited and analyzed. The monthly drinking rate was 78.0% for male students and 72.9% for female students. The high-risk drinking rate was 23.3% for male students and 17.2% for female students. The most popular category for number of drinks per drinking session was 'more than 10 glasses' per drinking session for both male (44.1%) and female (32.8%). On the alcohol use disorders identification test, the greatest proportion of male students were in the high-risk drinking category (score 8 to 15) 43.8%, followed by the 'low-risk drinking' (score 0 to 7) in 43.6%, 'alcohol abuse' (score 16 to 19) 7.2%, and 'alcohol dependence' (greater than 20) 5.4% categories, respectively. For female students, the greatest proportion of female students were in the 'low-risk drinking' in 49.6%, followed by 'high-risk drinking' 37.1%, 'alcohol abuse' 8.4%, and 'alcohol dependence' 4.9% categories, respectively. Conclusion: The results of the study showed that the drinking behavior of Korean college students was excessive. Overall, it was found that the college population has a greater high-risk drinking behaviors than general adult population. Furthermore, these problem drinking behaviors were prominent among female college students. Results from the present study suggest that it is necessary to monitor the drinking behavior of college students with constant interest and to prepare policies and strategies suitable for these circumstances.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• 제8권2호
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• pp.258-265
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• 2001

Objectives : Chronic alcohol consumption has been known to result in various neurocognitive deficits. Many neuropsychological studies revealed that the major disturbances occurred in the executive function, learning and short-term memory, visuospatial performance function, perceptuo-motor skills, and abstraction and problem solving abilities. This study was done to identify which cognitive areas might be mainly affected. Methods : The cognitive disturbance was evaluated using the Korean Version of the Mini Mental State Examination(MMSEK) and the 7 Minute Screen(7MS) in male inpatients with alcohol dependence(N=3 : as well as in age and education level matched healthy male controls(N=30). Four individual tests of the 7MS were consisted of the Benton Temporal Orientation Test, the Enhanced Cued Recall, the Clock Drawing and the Category Fluency. Results : 1) The average scores of four individual test of the 7MS for the alcoholics were $2.77{\pm}4.38$ for the Benton Temporal Orientation Test, $13.90{\pm}2.02$ for the Memory Test(the Cued Recall $6.77{\pm}1.94$, the Uncued Recall $7.10{\pm}2.45$), $5.84{\pm}1.86$ for the Clock Drawing, and $12.58{\pm}3.29$ for the Category Fluency. Except the Benton Temporal Orientation Test, there were statistically significant differences between test scores of alcoholics and those of controls(p<0.01). 2) The alcoholics who had MMSE-K score <24 were 9.68%. The average(${\pm}S.D.$) score of the MMSE-K for the patient group($27.23{\pm}2.62$) was significantly(p<0.001) lower than that of the healthy controls($29.20{\pm}1.24$). There were no statistically significant differences between four individual test scores of the 7MS of alcoholics with the MMSE-K score <24(N=3) and those of alcoholics with the MMSE-K score ${\geq}24$(N=28). 3) Four individual test scores of the 7MS seemed to have statistically significant association with such variables as MMSE-K, duration of alcohol drinking, blood magnesium concentration, liver function and thyroid function. Conclusion : Mild deficits of cognitive areas such as orientation, memory, visuospatial abilities and verbal fluency could be found in alcohol dependence.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• 제19권1호
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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.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• 제34권4호
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• pp.385-401
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• 2023

Objectives: To review clinical research trends of herbal medicine treatment for alcohol use disorder. Methods: Three domestic databases and eight foreign databases were used to search for published articles by November 1, 2023 in each database. A total of 9 studies were included. Results: There were eight randomized control studies and one non-randomized control study. All randomized control studies were designed with 2-arm paralleled. The non-randomized control study was designed with 2-arm crossover. The most commonly used prescriptions were Kudzu extract capsules and Seoganhaeul capsules. The most used herbs were Puerariae Radix, Hyperici Perforati Herba, and Acanthopanacis Senticosi Radix et Rhizoma seu Caulis. Conclusions: Traditional herbal medicine might be effective in alleviating drinking behavior, physical problems, and psychological problems of patients with alcohol use disorder. However, the limited number of included studies suggests that further methodologically rigorous research studies on herbal medicine treatment for alcohol use disorder are needed in the future.