• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.172-186
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• 2003

Acupuncture therapy has demonstrated efficacy in several clinical areas, and of these areas the understanding of pain has progressed immensely in the last two decades. The underlying mechanisms of acupuncture in general and the analgesic effect in particular are still not clearly delineated. The leading hypothesis include the effects of local stimulation, neuronal gating, release of endogenous opiates, and the placebo effect. Accumulating evidence suggests that the central nervous system(CNS) is essential for the processing of these effects, via its modulation of the autonomic nervous system, neuro-immune system, and hormonal regulation. These processes tap into basic survival mechanisms. As such, understanding the effects of acupuncture within a neuroscience-based framework becomes vital. We propose a model which incorporates the stress-induced hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis(HPA-axis) model of Akil et al., the cholinergic anti-inflamatory observations of Tracey et al., and Petrovic et al.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.133-140
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• 2004

The purpose of the present study was to elucidate the possible involvement of the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) and inferior vestibular nucleus (IVN) following acute hypotension in the vestibuloautonomic reflex through vestibulosolitary or vestibuloventrolateral projections. Acute hypotension-induced cFos expression was assessed in combination with retrograde cholera toxin B subunit (CTb) tract tracing. After injection of CTb into the solitary region, CTb-labeled neurons were located prominently around the lateral borders of the caudal MVN and medial border of the IVN. The superior vestibular nucleus also had a scattered distribution of CTb-labeled neurons. After injection of CTb toxin into the unilateral VLM, the distributions of CTb-labeled neurons in the MVN and IVN were similar to that observed after injection into the solitary region, although there were fewer CTb-labeled neurons. In the caudal MVN, about 38% and 13% of CTb-labeled neurons were double-labeled for cFos after injection of CTb into the solitary region and the VLM, respectively. In the IVN, 14% and 7% of CTb-labeled neurons were double-labeled for cFos after injection of CTb into the solitary region and the VLM, respectively. Therefore, the present study suggests that acute arterial hypotension may result in activation of vestibulosolitary pathways that mediate behavioral and visceral reflexes, and vestibuloventrolateral medullary pathways that indirectly mediate vestibulosympathetic responses.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Sensory Integration
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.75-84
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• 2015

Objective : The aim of this study was to provide mechanism information of a link between arousal and sensory modulation to increase understanding of neurophysiological study. Subject : Optimal arousal state of a child is an important issue in sensory integration therapy. Limbic system and reticular formation are related to sensory modulation by sensory input. Sensory inputs processes from reticular formation to cortex via ascending reticular activation system for moderate arousal. A lot of neurotransmitters such as cholinergic neurons and monoamin neurons help this processes. Mechanism of arousal was measured by functions of central nervous system (CNS) and autonomic nervous system (ANS) using objective tools such as an electroencephalogram (EEG) and electrodermal responses. Functions of CNS and ANS showed differences between normal children and children with disabilities. Optimal sensory input using sensory integration therapy for children with disabilities helps to act reticular formation, limbic system, and cortex and to maintain appropriate arousal. Conclusion : Such quantitative studies by using neurophysiological methods provide evidence for sensory integration therapy.

• Journal of the Korea Computer Graphics Society
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.37-47
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• 2016

This study evaluate user feedback such as physiological response and facial expression when subjects play a social decision making game with interactive virtual agent partners. In the social decision making game, subjects will invest some of money or credit in one of projects. Their partners (virtual agents) will also invest in one of the projects. They will interact with different kinds of virtual agents which behave reciprocated or unreciprocated behavior while expressing socially affective facial expression. The total money or credit which the subject earns is contingent on partner's choice. From this study, I observed that subject's appraisal of interaction with cooperative/uncooperative (or friendly/unfriendly) virtual agents in an investment game result in increased autonomic and somatic response, and that these responses were observed by physiological signal and facial expression in real time. For assessing user feedback, Photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor, Galvanic skin response (GSR) sensor while capturing front facial image of the subject from web camera were used. After all trials, subjects asked to answer to questions associated with evaluation how much these interaction with virtual agents affect to their appraisals.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.362-369
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• 2019

Background: Chronic nonspecific symptoms attributed to indoor nonindustrial work environments are common and may cause disability, but the medical nature of this disability is unclear. The aim was to medically characterize the disability manifested by chronic, recurrent symptoms and restrictions to work participation attributed to low-level indoor pollutants at workplace and whether the condition shares features with idiopathic environmental intolerance. Methods: We investigated 12 patients with indoor aire-related work disability. The examinations included somatic, psychological, and psychiatric evaluations as well as investigations of the autonomic nervous system, cortisol measurements, lung function, and allergy tests. We evaluated well-being, health, disability, insomnia, pain, anxiety, depression, and burnout via questionnaires. Results: The mean symptom history was 10.5 years; for disabling symptoms, 2.7 years. Eleven patients reported reactions triggered mainly by indoor molds, one by fragrances only. Ten reported sensitivity to odorous chemicals, and three, electric devices. Nearly all had co-occurrent somatic and psychiatric diagnoses and signs of pain, insomnia, burnout, and/or elevated sympathetic responses. Avoiding certain environments had led to restrictions in several life areas. On self-assessment scales, disability showed higher severity and anxiety showed lower severity than in physician assessments. Conclusion: No medical cause was found to explain the disability. Findings support that the condition is a form of idiopathic environmental intolerance and belongs to functional somatic syndromes. Instead of endless avoidance, rehabilitation approaches of functional somatic syndromes are applicable.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.109 no.4
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• pp.544-552
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• 2020

This study investigated the effectiveness of "Healing Stay in Forest," a long-term stay forest therapy program implemented by National Center for Forest Therapy in 2019 with 49 participants by measuring pre- and post-questionnaire responses and physical changes, such as blood pressure, body composition, and HRV. Results confirmed statistically significant reduction in negative emotions and enhancement of autonomic nerve balance in the participants. Regarding the changes in the evaluation of physical fitness based on medical history, some significant differences were observed in grip strength and standing high jump, in which participants with no medical history showed better results than those with medical history. These findings are important for verifying the effectiveness of long-term stay forest therapy (6 nights and 7 days).

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.61-70
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• 2017

Physiological responses have been measured to recognize emotion. Although physiological responses have been interrelated between organs, their connectivities have been less considered for emotion recognizing. The connectivities have been assumed to enhance emotion recognition. Specially, autonomic nervous system is physiologically modulated by the interrelated functioning. Therefore, this study has been tried to analyze connectivities between heart and respiration and to find the significantly connected variables for emotion recognition. The eighteen subjects(10 male, age $24.72{\pm}2.47$) participated in the experiment. The participants were asked to listen to predetermined sound stimuli (arousal, relaxation, negative, positive) for evoking emotion. The bio-signals of heart and respiration were measured according to sound stimuli. HRV (heart rate variability) and BRV (breathing rate variability) spectrum were obtained from spectrum analysis of ECG (electrocardiogram) and RSP (respiration). The synchronization of HRV and BRV spectrum was analyzed according to each emotion. Statistical significance of relationship between them was tested by one-way ANOVA. There were significant relation of synchronization between HRV and BRV spectrum (synchronization of HF: F(3, 68) = 3.605, p = 0.018, ${\eta}^2_p=0.1372$, synchronization of LF: F(3, 68) = 5.075, p = 0.003, ${\eta}^2_p=0.1823$). HF difference of synchronization between ECG and RSP has been able to classify arousal from relaxation (p = 0.008, d = 1.4274) and LF's has negative from positive (p = 0.002, d = 1.7377). Therefore, it was confirmed that the heart and respiration to recognize the dimensional emotion by connectivity.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.83-92
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• 1988

Although the release of lysosomal enzymes from activated PMN leukocyte can be regulated by intracellular cyclic nucleotide levels, other responses of PMN leukocyte according to the binding of neurotransmitters to either ${\beta}$-adrenergic or muscarinic receptors are still not clarified. In addition, the function of PMN leukocyte mediated by ${\alpha}$-adrenergic receptors is uncertain. Atropine, phentolamine and propranolol inhibited calcium uptake, superoxide generation, NADPH oxidase activity and phagocytic activity in activated PMN leukocyte, whereas carbachol and isoproterenol slightly further stimulated the responses of activated cells. Either carbachol or isoproterenol stimulated superoxide generation was inhibited by their antagonists, atropine and propranolol, respectively. The response of activated PMN leukocyte was inhibited by chlorpromazine, verapamil and dantrolene but slightly stimulated by lithium. On the other hand, chlorpromazine and dibucaine did not affect NADPH oxidase activity. Atropine, phentolamine and propranolol suppressed the calcium dependent phagocytic activity. Thus, the results suggest that atropine, phentolamine and propranolol may inhibit superoxide generation in activated PMN leukocyte by the inhibition of calcium influx and by their direct action on the NADPH oxidase system which is associated with autonomic receptors.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.89-102
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• 2015

Objectives: To examine the medical effectiveness of meditation programs ($\alpha$ version) by psychological types. Methods: MBTI, which was created by Katharine Cook Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers, was used as the Psychological Type test and to investigate psychological temperament and functions and psychological preferences. Heart rate variability was used to test the effectiveness of meditation by investigating time domains (mean HR, SDNN, PSI) and frequence domain parameters (TP, LF, HF, LF or HF norm, Ln (TP or VLF or LF or HF). Results: 1. The autonomic nervous system became active, and both time domains and frequency domains showed positive responses to meditation in heart rate variability tests, without distinction of Psychological Types. 2. In Psychological Types using sensing over intuition for perception, there were positive responses as well as an increase of the parasympathetic nervous system's activeness to meditation for heart rate variability tests, depending on psychological temperaments and psychological functions. 3. In heart rate variability tests by preferences, there was no difference. Extroversion and Introversion types, Sensing over Intuition Types, Thinking over Feeling Types, Judging over Perception Types had an increase of activeness of the parasympathetic nervous system. Therefore, meditation has a positive physical and psychological relaxing effect. Conclusions: A complex meditation program has a positive effect on overall meditation. Especially in the MBTI test, sensing was superior to intuition when people recognized objects. The Sensing, Thinking and Judging type was more advantageous than Intuition, Feeling and Perception, respectively. In the future, a well-designed control study is needed, to develop a suitable meditation for each personality type.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.147-156
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• 2011

Basic emotions such as happiness, sadness, anger, fear, and disgust have been widely used to investigate emotion-specific autonomic nervous system activity in many studies. On the contrary, surprise emotion, Suggested also as one of the basic emotions suggested by Ekman et al. (1983), has been least investigated. The purpose of this study was to provide a description of cardiovascular responses on surprise stimulus using electrocardiograph (ECG) and photoplethysmograph (PPG). ECG and PPG were recorded from 76 undergraduate students, as they were exposed to a visuo-acoustic surprise stimulus. Heart rate (HR), standard deviation of R-R interval (SD-RR), root mean square of successive R-R interval difference (RMSSD-RR), respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), finger blood volume pulse amplitude (FBVPA), and finger pulse transit time (FPTT) were calculated before and after the stimulus presentation. Results show significant increase in HR, SD-RR, and RMSSD-RR, decreased FBVPA, and shortened FPTT. Evidence suggests that surprise emotion can be characterized by vasoconstriction and accelerated heart rate, sympathetic activation, and increased heart rate variability, parasympathetic activation. These results can be useful in developing an emotion theory, or profiling surprise-specific physiological responses, as well as establishing the basis for emotion recognition system in human-computer interaction.