• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.100-105
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• 2004

Objectives: Major depression is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality. One possible explanation for this association is that major depression influences autonomic neurocardiac regulation. However, previous studies on the relationship between heart rate variability (HRV) and major depression have revealed conflicting results. The purpose of this study is to clarify that major depressive patients compared to healthy controls show a reduction in HRV as an expression of reduced modulation of vagal activity to the heart. Methods: According to DSM-IV, the time and frequency domain HRV indices (5-min resting study) of 30 patients with major depressive disorder were compared with those of 30 healthy controls. Standardized HRV tests enable quantitative estimation of autonomic nervous system function. Results: After controlling for age and gender, subjects with major depression showed a higher heart rate and significantly lower modulation of cardiovagal activity compared to controls. The total power (TP) band, very low frequency (VLF: 0.003-0.04 Hz) band, low frequency (LF: 0.04-0.15 Hz) band, and high frequency (HF: 0.15-0.4 Hz) band were significantly reduced in subjects with major depression compared to control subjects. Conclusion: Patients with major depression may suffer from functional disturbances in the interaction between the sympathetic and parasympathetic autonomic systems.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.45-54
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• 2008

Objective: To treat psychogenic headache patients, doctors have to amplify on the headache caused by emotional stress to patients, and assist the patients to cope with difficulties. So, we investigated HRV of the headache patients caused by Chiljungsang and would like to apply to the clinical treatment. Method: Our study measured time and frequency domain HRV indicies(5-min resting study) of 123 headache patients caused by emotional stress. Standardized tests of HRV allow a quantitative estimation of autonomic nervous system function. Results & Conclusions: 1. The study classed as aspects of the head pain showed the differences in RMS-SD(square root of mean squared difference of successive NN intervals) band, HF(high frequency) band significantly. 2. The male headache patients showed higher all the indicies except heart rate compared to the female patients, significantly in SDNN(standard deviation of NN interval), TP(total Power), HF band. 3. As the patients grow older, SDNN, RMS-SD band was lower and LF(low frequency) band, LF/HF ratio higher significantly. The beginning age lower, SDNN, RMS-SD band was higher significantly. The duration of the disease longer, LF band, LF/HF ratio was higher significantly.

• Yonsei Medical Journal
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• v.59 no.9
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• pp.1138-1142
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• 2018

This study aimed to analyze the impact of sleep deprivation (SD) on cardiac, hemodynamic, and endothelial parameters and to determine whether these are sustained with increased periods of SD. The study included 60 healthy men (mean: age $31.2{\pm}6.3years$; body mass index $24.6{\pm}2.6kg/m^2$). Hemodynamic parameters, parameters of myocardial contractility, spectral analysis of heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) variability, and the sensitivity of arterial baroreflex function were evaluated. Biochemical tests were performed to assess L-arginine (L-Arg) and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) levels in reflection of endothelial nitric oxide synthase ability. Measurements of cardiovascular system parameters were obtained at 9 a.m. (baseline) on the first day of the study and 9 a.m. (24-h SD), 1 p.m. (28-h SD), and 5 p.m. (32-h SD) on the second day. Blood samples for evaluating biochemical parameters were obtained at baseline and after 24-h SD. ANOVA Friedman's test revealed a significant effect for time in relation to HR (${\chi}^2=26.04$, df=5, p=0.000), systolic BP (${\chi}^2=35.98$, df=5, p=0.000), diastolic BP (${\chi}^2=18.01$, df=5, p=0.003), and mean BP (${\chi}^2=28.32$, df=5, p=0.000). L-Arg and ADMA levels changed from $78.2{\pm}12.9$ and $0.3{\pm}0.1$ at baseline to $68.8{\pm}10.2$ and $0.4{\pm}0.1$ after 24-hr SD, respectively (p=0.001, p=0.004). SD in healthy men is associated with increases in BP, which appear to occur after 24 hours of SD and are maintained over increasing periods of SD. The observed hemodynamic changes may have resulted due to disordered vascular endothelial function, as reflected in alterations in L-Arg and ADMA levels.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.101-108
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• 2016

Objectives: This study introduces the history and types of Korean pharmacopuncture and reports trends of research on Korean pharmacopuncture. Methods: Pharmacopuncture studies were searched from the first year of each search engine to 2014 by using seven domestic and foreign search databases. Selected studies were divided into the history of pharmacopuncture, kinds and features of pharmacopuncture, research types, and experimental and clinic studies and were then classified by year of publication, type of pharmacopuncture, disease, and topic. Results: Pharmacopuncture can be classified into four large groups: meridian field pharmacopuncture (MFP), eight-principles pharmacopuncture (EPP), animal-based pharmacopuncture (ABP) and mountain-ginseng pharmacopuncture, which is a single-compound pharmacopuncture (SCP). The largest numbers of studies were reported from 1997 to 2006, after which the numbers decreased until 2014. Of experimental studies, 51.9%, 18.7%. 14.3%, 9% and 3.4% were on SCP, ABP, MFP, formula pharmacopuncture (FP), and EPP, respectively. Of clinical studies, 54.7%, 15.3%. 14.9% 10.0% and 1.5% were on ABP, MFP, EPP, SCP, and FP (1.5%), respectively. Among clinical studies, case reports and case series accounted for 76.5%, followed by randomized controlled trials (RCTs, 16.4%) and non-RCT (13.9%). Musculoskeletal diseases, toxicity and safety tests, anti-cancer effects, and nervous system diseases were mainly treated in experimental studies while musculoskeletal diseases, nervous system diseases, toxicity and safety tests, and autonomic nerve function tests were addressed in clinical studies. Bee venom (BV) was the most frequently-used pharmacopuncture in mechanism studies. Pharmacopuncture was mainly used to treat musculoskeletal diseases. Conclusion: Pharmacopuncture and studies of it have made great progress in Korea. Studies on BV pharmacopuncture and musculoskeletal diseases accounted for most of the studies reported during the review period. Research on the types of pharmacopuncture and diseases has to be expanded. Especially, studies on the use of MFP and EPP for treating patients with various diseases are needed.

• Korean Security Journal
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• no.35
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• pp.125-149
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• 2013

In this study changes in biorhythm are observed by measuring heart rate variabilities in order to verify, compare, and evaluate stresses in guard duties of guards and CCTV monitoring works of staffs serviced in practical guard sites. Guard duties and CCTV monitoring works similar to a practical situation are implemented for nine students in the department of security at K University over 150 minutes. In the results of observing heart rate variabilities and autonomic function tests for six times with an interval of 30 minutes, the heart rate variability (HRV) in CCTV monitoring works represents lower levels than that of guard duties. Also, in a stable condition the guard duties for 30 and 60 minutes exhibit lower levels than that of 90, 120, and 150 minutes. Regarding SDNN, CCTV monitoring works show higher levels that guard duties and the guard duties for 30 and 60 minutes represent lower levels than that of 150 minutes. In autonomic function tests, there are no differences in TP between groups according to guard duties and CCTV monitoring works. Also, the guard duties for 150 minutes represent more differences in TP compared to that of 30 minutes. The interaction between the duty type and the duty duration is presented. In the case of LF, guard duties for 150 minutes show large differences in duty duration compared to that of 60 minutes. In the case of HF, the CCTV monitoring work group shows higher levels than the guard duty group in which the guard duties for 120 and 150 minutes represent higher levels than that of 30 minutes. The interaction between the duty type and the duty duration is presented. In the case of the LF/HF ratio, the guard duty group exhibits higher levels than the CCTV monitoring group. Also, there is an interaction between the duty type and the duty duration including the difference in durations. The CCTV monitoring works represent lower heart function activities than the guard duties according to increases in parasympathetic nervous activities. It shows that the long-term CCTV monitoring duty repeated everyday shows a high possibility of increasing the exposures of VDT syndrome and nervous breakdown.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.29-32
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• 2008

Although various criteria on the diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy are applied from trial to trial, being tailored in concert with its purpose, the utmost evidences of the diagnosis are subjective symptoms and objective signs of neurologic deficit. The application and interpretation of auxiliary electrophysiological test including nerve conduction study (NCS) should be made on the context of clinical pictures. The evaluation of the functions of small, thinly myelinated or unmyelinated nerve fibers has been increasingly stressed recently with the advent of newer techniques, e.g., measurement of intraepidermal fiber density, quantitative sensory testing, and autonomic function test. And the studies with those techniques have shed light to the nature of the evolution of diabetic neuropathy. The practical application of these techniques to the diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy in the individual patients, however, should be made cautiously due to several shortcomings: limited accessibility, wide overlapping zone between norm and abnormality with resultant unsatisfactory sensitivity and specificity, difficulty in performing subsequent tests, unproven quantitative correlation with clinical deficit, and invasiveness of some technique. NCS, as an extension of clinical examination, is still the most reliable electrophysiological test in evaluating neuropathy and gives the invaluable information about the nature of neuropathy, whereas the newer techniques need more refinement of the procedure and interpretation, and the accumulation of large scaled data of application to be considered as established diagnostic tools of peripheral neuropathy.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.176-182
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• 2016

Objectives : This study was designed to analyze the characteristic of heart rate variability(HRV) changes between Deficiency Pattern and Excess Pattern in Stroke Patients admitted to the hospital. Methods : We measured heart rate variability of stroke patients who were admitted to the Department of Korean Internal medicine, Stroke and Neurological Disorders Center from February 1, 2015 to May 30, 2016. We recruited a total of 28 stroke patients and heart rate variability tests were performed on the first day of admission, 2weeks after admission, and 4 weeks after admission. Results : VLF and LF/HF ratio significantly increased over time in Deficiency Pattern group compared with those in the Excess Pattern group. Conclusions : This results suggest that the parasympathetic function of Deficiency Pattern group is lower than that of the Excess Pattern group, resulting in imbalance of the autonomic nervous system.

• 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.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.29-36
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• 2004

Objectives: Sound and light (SL) stimulation has been used as a method to induce some useful mental states in the fields of psychology and psychiatry. It is believed that sound and light entrainment device (SLED) has some specific effects through synchronization of EEG in patients who use it. Theta frequency is believed to stimulate deep relaxation and short term memory processing. This study was conducted to evaluate if 4-10 Hz SL stimulation can induce relaxation and improve short term memory function. Methods: Ten medical students with no medical or psychiatric problems participated in this study. Subjects were randomly divided into two groups. One group was applied with real SLED was applied to one group (R group) and pseudo SLED to the other group (P group). The two groups were exposed to SL stimulation with SLED 15 minutes a day for 5 days, and after two days rest the two groups were switched over. The Korean Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (K-WAIS), Academic Motivation Tests (AMT), Test Anxiety Scale (TAS), Korean Auditory Verbal Learning Test (K-AVLT), and digit span were used to evaluate short term memory. Spielberger's State-Trait anxiety inventory and heart rate variability (HRV) test were used to evaluate degree of relaxation. Results: Compared with S group, R group showed a significant improvement in K-AVLT and digit span after a single application of SL stimulation. But 5-day long application did not reveal any differences between the two groups. A significant change in HRV was observed in 5-day long application of SL stimulation after being switched over to other SLED. Conclusion: This pilot study suggests that 4-10 Hz SL stimulation has some positive influences on short term memory and relaxation.