• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.393-403
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• 2013

Baicalein (BA), a plant-derived active flavonoid present in the root of Scutellaria baicalensis, has been widely used for the treatment of stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders including depression. Previous studies have demonstrated that repeated restraint stress disrupts the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, resulting in depression. The behavioral and neurochemical basis of the BA effect on depression remain unclear. The present study used the forced swimming test (FST) and changes in brain neurotransmitter levels to confirm the impact of BA on repeated restraint stress-induced behavioral and neurochemical changes in rats. Male rats received 10, 20, or 40 mg/kg BA (i.p.) 30 min prior to daily exposure to repeated restraint stress (2 h/day) for 14 days. Activation of the HPA axis in response to repeated restraint stress was confirmed by measuring serum corticosterone levels and the expression of corticotrophin-releasing factor in the hypothalamus. Daily BA administration significantly decreased the duration of immobility in the FST, increased sucrose consumption, and restored the stress-related decreases in dopamine concentrations in the hippocampus to near normal levels. BA significantly inhibited the stress-induced decrease in neuronal tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in the ventral tegmental area and the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA in the hippocampus. Taken together, these findings indicate that administration of BA prior to the repeated restraint stress significantly improves helpless behaviors and depressive symptoms, possibly by preventing the decrease in dopamine and BDNF expression. Thus, BA may be a useful agent for the treatment or alleviation of the complex symptoms associated with depression.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.165-182
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• 2005

The main purposes of this study are to describe the elderly dementia, and to explore characteristics of the elderly dementia among the aged 65 and over in Daegu area. In this study, 1,120 subjects which were 0.6 percent of the population were selected and face-to-face interviews were conducted. The face-to-face interviews were conducted from July 1, 2004 to August 31, 2004. KMMSE was introduced to measure the status of the interviewees' dementia. The findings of this study are as follows: 8.9 percent of respondents turns out to be dementia patients. Among the dementia patients, 52.5 percent are mild dementia patients, 35.0 percent are mid-level symptoms and 12.5 percent are severe symptoms of dementia patients. Cross-tabulation analyses and logistic regression analysis were introduced to explore the demographic, living, and behavioral differentials of the elderly's dementia. According to the logistic regression analysis, it turns out that white educational attainment, participating in the leisure activities for both physical exercise and mental activities, having meals regularly, adequate amount of meals, and high economic status decrease the odds ratio of elder dementia among the elderly who are 65 and above in Daegu area and are statistically significant. On the other hand, age increases the odds ratio of the elder dementia of the elder among Koreans above 65 in Daegu area. Finally, policy implications and some suggestions for the improvement of the elder dementia are introduced and discussed.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.459-469
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to examine different patterns of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) and caregiver burden according to dementia type. Data were collected from June 2014 to December 2014 from five nursing homes. In all, 214 patients [131 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 83 patients with Vascular dementia (VD)] were included in the study. BPSD and caregiver burden data were examined using NPI-NH (Neuropsychiatric Inventory Nursing Home Version). According to the results, both the AD and VD group showed the highest frequency in apathy/indifference and the frequency of anxiety, elation/euphoria, and irritability/lability was significantly higher in the AD group than in the VD group. The difference in total BPSD composite scores between the AD and VD groups was not significant but agitation/aggression was significantly higher in the AD group than in the VD group. The mean score for caregiver burden was significantly higher in the AD group than in the VD group, particularly in agitation/aggression. In conclusion, BPSD differed according to dementia type, and nurses should provide specific interventions to control BPSD; a program to reduce caregiver burden according to dementia type is also needed.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.61-84
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• 2010

The goals of the study were to examine if and how exposure to suicidal factors in social relationships affects suicidal ideation and behaviors and also analyze how family factors are associated with suicidal ideation and behavior. Data drawn from Korean General Social Survey(KGSS) collected in 2009 were analyzed. The findings show that exposure to the suicidal factors have statistically significant effects on suicidal ideation and behaviors. In the findings, respondents who have experiences of which socially close persons have suicidal ideation or completed suicide are more likely to have suicidal ideation and suicidal plan even in the models for which demographic factors and depressive symptoms are controlled. Also, family factors have significant effects on suicidal ideation and suicidal behaviors. Family stress increases suicidal ideation and behaviors whereas expectation on family support reduces the likelihood of having suicidal ideation and behaviors. This study shows that there might be possibility of behavioral contagion in terms of suicide through social connections and family has both positive and negative aspects on suicidal ideation and behaviors. Our study suggests policy implications for people who were exposure to suicide.

• 한국노년학
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.1069-1087
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to closely examine the effects of aromatherapy on Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia(BPSD) to the elderly in a nursing home, and to help the application of aromatherapy is expected to be conducive to managing the quality life in the dementia and the care-giver, and to provide a base of the aromatherapy application as an elderly program in geriatric institutions. This is an one group pre-post test design and the research subjects were the dementia in a nursing home those were totally 15 available for communication or intention observation. Aromatherapy was offered for 3 weeks totally 15 times by once a day in each with aroma hand massage and inhalation, by blending essential oils, Lavender, Chamomile Roman and Grapefruit. The results are as follows. Given examining a change in the whole about whether there are effects of aromatherapy on BPSD, there was significant difference in a change depending on the experimental period with 1.47 for the pre-measurement value, 1.09 for the post 1-measurement value, 1.01 for the post 2-measurement value and 0.71 for the post 3-measurement value. And, even the difference in experimental period was indicated to have significant difference(F=11.501, p<0.001). As an itemized results, the effect of aromatherapy were indicated to have significant difference on easing the anxiety, anguish, fear, dreadful feeling, depressed feeling, and outstandingly bustling movement, and outstandingly inactive behavior, and sleep disturbance and behavior of wandering about at night. On the basis of the result in this study, the application of aromatherapy is expected to lead the quality life in the dementia, and to contribute to health of mind and body in the dementia as an program in geriatric institutions.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.172-180
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• 2000

Objectives : We investigated the characteristics of perceived stress response and relationship between some variables of gastrointestinal symptoms(esp., dyspepsia) and subscales of perceived stress response inventory(PSRI) in patients with upper gastointestinal disorder when they perceived stress. Methods : 84 patients with upper gastrointestinal disorder(gastritis, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer etc.) and 94 normal controls completed the PSRI developed by Korean psychiatrists. The patient group performed the questionnaire including some variables of gastrointestinal symptoms. Results : Internal consistency was statistically significant in all subscales of PSRI. The patient group was significantly higher at total score of PSRI, general somatic symptom subscale score, specific somatic symptom score than control group. As the result of stepwise regression analysis for relationship between some variables of gastrointestinal symptoms ans subscales of PSRI, specific somatic symptom subsclae closely related with illness duration, past illness history and severity of symptom, and the lowered cognitive function & general negative thinking subscale related with the existence of emotional distress. Conclusion : Patients with upper gastrointestinal disorder showed stronger perceived stress response than control group and they experiences somatic symptoms related to autonomic nervous system and/or gastrointestinal symtoms rather than emotional, cognitive, behavioral symtoms when they perceived stress. They also responded to stress as they expeirenced specific somatic symtom when they had long illness duration, past illness history, and high severity of symptom and the existence of emotional distress could develop lowered congnitive function and general negative thinking.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.731-740
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• 2002

This study was designed to identify premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and to investigate the correlation between premenstrual syndrome and nutritional intakes. The subjects of this study were 138 college women residing in Busan Metropolitan City. The subjects were asked to complete Menstrual Discomfort Questionnaire (MDQ) regarding PMS, food intake frequencies and nutritional intake. We studied the correlation between PMS symptoms and nutritional intake. The average height and weight of anemic subjects were 161.42 $\pm$ 3.50 cm and 51.87 $\pm$ 5.42 kg. The average BMI (body mass index, kg/$m^2$) was 19.92 $\pm$ 2.14 and PIBW (percent ideal body weight) were 93.02 $\pm$ 9.75%. Except for phosphorous, vitamin A and vitamin C intakes, the intake levels of all other nutrients were below the Korean RDA. The average calorie intake of the subjects was 1645.65 $\pm$ 352.63 kcal (82.2% of the Korean RDA) and iron intake of the subject was 11.06 $\pm$4.03 mg (69.1% of the Korean RDA) . The calcium and vitamin $B_6$ intakes were 512.26 $\pm$ 183.12 mg (73.1% of the Korean RDA) and 1.12 $\pm$ 0.14 mg (80.0% of the Korean RDA), respectively. With regard to their menstrual state, 45.9% subjects responded that their menstrual cycles were irregular. The frequency of PMS of the subjects was 30.2% (over 3 points) on 5 point scale (1 : no. 5 severe). The common symptoms of PMS of the subjects were pain (2.32 $\pm$ 1.01), negative effects (2.27 $\pm$ 0.87), behavioral changes (2.26 $\pm$ 0.85), water retention (2.07 $\pm$ 0.78) , arousal (1.79 $\pm$ 0.84) , autonomic reactions (1.77 $\pm$ 0.87) , lack of control (1.69 $\pm$ 0.75) and decreased concentration (1.68 $\pm$ 0.75) . There was significant correlation between all the PMS symptoms and calcium (p ＜ 0.01) , vitamin E (p ＜ 0.05) , carbohydrate (p ＜ 0.05) . This suggests that PMS represents the clinical manifestation of nutrient deficiency states especially calcium. Therefore we concluded that calcium supplementation is likely to be of benefit in relieving PMS symptoms.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.219-230
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• 2018

This study was conducted to identify factors influencing depression symptoms among college students. To accomplish this, a self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 546 college students from October 1st to November 30th, 2015. Univariate analysis, logistic regression, and multivariate regression analysis between variables were then conducted using depression symptoms as the dependent variable and other relevant factors as independent variables. The level of depression among the subjects differed significantly according to personal attributes, family life and school life characteristics, as well as health related behavioral characteristics. The risk of depression was significantly higher in the lower group than the higher group of family and friends social support, the lower group than the higher group of self-esteem, the lower group than the higher group of locus of control, and in the high risk stress group than the normal stress group. Factors influencing depression symptoms included religion, social support from family, social support from friends, interpersonal dependency, locus of control, and stress were identified as significant variables, indicating that depression among college students is related to diverse elements including sociodemographic characteristics, social support from family/friends, interpersonal dependency, locus of control, and stress. Depression symptoms significantly increased when social support from family or friends, low psychological behavior characteristics are low, and when stress is high. Thus, it is necessary to understand factors related to depression and reduce them to decrease depression levels of college students.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.485-495
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• 2017

This study looked into the effects of acceptance and commitment therapy(ACT) program on the premenstrual symptoms, attitudes toward menstruation and perceived stress, in females in their 20's suffering from premenstrual syndrome(PMS). Among the 263 students from 3~4 year universities, 21 were selected as participants. 7 were assigned to the acceptance and commitment therapy(ACT) group, 7 were assigned to the cognitive behavior therapy(CBT) group, and 7 were assigned to the control group. As a result, emotional factor from the premenstrual symptoms has significantly decreased more in the acceptance and commitment therapy(ACT) group, and the cognitive behavior therapy(CBT) group in comparison to the control group. In regards to attitudes toward menstruation, there were no statistical significance in the acceptance and commitment therapy(ACT) group, however there were positive changes, and the cognitive behavior therapy(CBT) group displayed significant change in the follow-up study. In perceived stress, acceptance and commitment therapy(ACT) group displayed more significant decrease than the control group and the cognitive behavior therapy(CBT) group, and that level remained unchanged until the follow-up study.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.88-98
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• 2018

Objective : The purpose of this study was to establish a school-based mental health intervention. The success of which was indexed by its effects on the social anxiety symptoms of the enrolled adolescents. Methods : This program for promoting mental health among adolescents in the community was adopted by three middle schools that volunteered to participate in the project. The program included screening for emotional problems related to social anxiety, depression, suicide, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Case management was provided for groups considered high-risk for depression, suicide, or post-traumatic stress disorder; cognitive-behavior therapy was provided for those at high-risk of developing social anxiety. Additionally, educational programs for the prevention of suicide, a "loving life" module, and mental health promotional campaigns were also included. In total, 1,100 middle school students completed self-report questionnaires. Twenty-five students in the high-risk group for social anxiety participated in a cognitive-behavior therapy program, comprising eight sessions, and conducted by two clinical psychologists. Results : Following the suicide prevention education program, suicide awareness among students increased and coping strategies were improved. In addition, the loving life program was associated with positive self-perceptions by many students. Furthermore, social anxiety symptoms showed a statistically significant difference after the cognitive-behavior therapy program. After the therapy, not only did social anxiety symptoms improve, depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation decreased significantly, while self-esteem and psychological resilience significantly increased. Conclusion : A school-based mental health intervention was successfully implemented in three middle schools and improved the mental health of the participating students. Therefore, this intervention could be widely implemented to promote positive mental health among middle school students.