• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.113-126
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• 2017

The purpose of the study was to find grey matter (GM) and white matter (WM) volume reduction in the brain reward system among patients with alcohol dependency. This study investigated regional GM and WM in chronic alcoholic patients, focusing primarily on the reward system, including principal components of the mesocorticolimbic reward circuit as well as cortical areas with modulating and oversight functions. Sixteen abstinent long-term chronic alcoholic men and demographically matched 16 healthy control men participated in the study. Morphometric analysis was performed on magnetic resonance brain scans using voxel-based morphometry (VBM)-diffeomorphic Anatomical Registration through Exponentiated Liealgebra (DARTEL). We derived GM and WM volumes from total brain and cortical and subcortical reward-related structures. Morphometric analyses that revealed the total volume of GM and WM was reduced and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was increased in the alcohol group compared to control group. The pronounced volume reduction in the reward system was observed in the GM and WM of the nucleus accumbens (NAc), GM of the amygdala, GM and WM of the hippocampus, WM of the thalamus, GM and WM of the insula, GM of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), GM of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), GM of the cingulate cortex (CC), GM and WM of the parahippocampal gyrus in the alcohol group. We identified volume reductions in WM as well as GM of reward system in the patients with alcohol dependency. These structural deficits in the reward system elucidate underlying impairment in the emotional and cognitive processing in alcoholism.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.30-33
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• 2001

Salsolinol (1-methyl-6,7-dihydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline, SAL), a dopaminergic isoquinoline neurotoxin, has been implicated to contribute the etiology of Parkinson's disease and neuropathology of chronic alcoholism. In our previous results, SAL was reported to have the mutagenicity and clastogenicity not in bacteria but in mammalian cells, and its genotoxic potential was known to be potentiated in the presence of rat liver S-9 fraction. This may indicate that some metabolite(s) of SAL was involved in the mutagenic potentials. To investigate the SAL metabolites, the metabolism studies of SAL were conducted in vitro rat liver S-9 fraction and in vivo using rats by high performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The methylated metabolite of SAL was found in urine of rats, while the same methylating form of metabolite was not produced from the in vitro metabolism system using rat liver S-9 fraction.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.569-572
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• 2004

Marchiafava-Bignami Disease(MBD) is a rate disease caused by chronic alcohol abuse and involves the degeneration of corpus callosum pathological in character. Until recently there was no method to diagnose MBD except postmortem examination, but nowadays rodiology has advanced increasingly, so MBD can be diagnosed correftly and easily. A case of MBD with stroke symptoms is reported. A 56-year-old man who has been a heavy alcoholic for several years was admitted with stroke symptoms such as stuporous mental, hemi-extremities weakness, dysphasia and dysphagia. After treatment these symptoms were improved.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.49-51
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• 1984

After pretreatment with ginseng followed by induction of acute intoxication of alcohol, the activities of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), microsomal ethanol-oxidizing system (MEOS) and aldehyde dehydrogenase(Ald DH) increased respectively compared to the groups treated with alcohol alone. In case that ginseng was given to rats fed with 5% alcohol instead of water for 60 days, the activities of ADH and MEOS increased compared to the groups treated. On the contrary, the activity of Ald DH in mitochondrial fraction decreased to an extent of about 35% in chronic alcoholism, but after pretreatment of ginseng the activity was restored to the control level. On the other hand, the catalase activity was not significantly affected by either treatment. Ginseng butanol fraction significantly increased the serum isocitrate dehydrogenase activity which is inhibited by alcohol-treated in rat. Alcohol-induced lactate dehydrogenase activity was decreased to control level in liver by ginseng treatment. And the serum level of lactic acid also decreased by ginseng treatment in alcohol-intoxicated rat. Ginseng butanol fraction markedly decreased the xanthine oxidase activity in the ethanol-treated rat liver. It was also observed that ginseng reduced the blood concentration of uric acid on experimentally reduced hyperuricemia by alcohol treatment. Uricase activity was not affected by either treatment. Ginseng butanol fraction decreased the hepatic aniline hydroxylase activity which was induced by alcohol-treated rat. These results suggest that the treatment with ginseng can be promoted the recovery from alcohol intoxication and some therapeutic effect on alcoholinduced metabolic disease.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.748-753
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• 2000

Objectives : A 10-year retrospective clinical study was undertaken to determine the differences between two groups according to age at presentation(group A, under 50 ; B, over 50). Methods : We analyzed 468 cases with chronic subdural hematoma admitted to the department of neurosurgery in our hospital from January 1987 to December 1996. The patients were divided into two groups according to age at presentation(group A, under 50 ; B, over 50). Results : 1) The number of group A was 126 cases(26.9%) and that of group B was 342 cases(73.1%), respectively. Males were more frequently involved than females in each group. 2) There noted a history of head trauma in 88.9% of group A and 92.4% of group B. Forty-nine patients(38.9%) of group A and 103 cases(30.1%) of group B revealed a history of alcoholism. 3) Group A patients presented with symptoms of increased intracranial pressure such as headache(75.% ), nausea and vomiting(68.0%). However, Group B patients had more frequent mental changes(84.0%) and focal neurological deficits such as hemiparesis(76.5%). 4) Onset of symptom and its duration was shorter in group A than group B. 5) Six patients among 441 cases(1.4%) treated with burr hole drainage and two patients of 27 cases(5.4%) with craniotomy died, and all of these were group B patients. The two cases among six patients with burr hole drainage developed huge intracerebral hemorrhage and brain stem hemorrhage, respectively. Conclusion : In treating patients with chronic subdural hematoma, distinguishing between two age groups is quite helpful to determine treatment strategies.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.104-111
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• 1994

Necrotizing fascitis is a severe soft tissue infection characterized by extensive necrosis of superficial fascia, suppurative fascitis, vascular thrombosis, widespread undermining of surrounding tissues. Associated systemic problems are widespread undermining of surrounding tissues, Associated systemic problems are common, with chronic alcoholism and diabetes being most prominent. Most commonly this disease presents in the extremities, trunk, and perineum. Necrotizing fascitis of dental origing is rare and its fulminating clinical course is not well documented in the dental literature. The present report is a case of necrotizing fascitis following vital extirpation of the pulp in a patient with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus and liver cirrhosis. Originally throught to be caused by hemolytic streptococcus organism or stphylococcus aureus, advances in anaerobic culturing have shown it to be a synergistic bacterial infection involving aerobic and ovligate anaerobes. it is relatively rare in relatively rare in haea and neck regions. If it was not diagnosed and treated in early stages, necrotizing fascitis can be potentially fetal, with a mortality rate approaching 40%. It's treatment requires early recognition, prompt and aggressive surgical debriment and proper supportive cares, such as, antibiotic therapy, fluid resuscitation and correction of metabolic and electrolyte disorder, resolving of the underlying systemic disease. Recently, we experienced two cases of necrotizing fascitis in cervicofacial region, One patient was 60 years old male with uncontrolled Diabetes Mellitus and other patient was 48 years old with steroid therapy during 30 years. Local surgical wound healing was successful but, patients were died after admission, because of lung abscess, gastrointestinal bleeding, septic shock and respiration hold.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.18-26
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• 1985

The present study was undertaken to investigate the possible effect of ginseng butanol fraction on the hepatic acetaldehyde metabolism. Experimental animals were used for the subject of the study. When, in case of mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase (Ald DH), ginseng butanol fraction was added, enzyme activity was increased in a small dose, while, in a large dose, it showed inhibitory effect. In terms of kinetic aspect, ginseng butanol fraction has the effect to decrease the Km values of Ald DH. In vivo studies, the activity of Aid DH increased by induction of acute intoxication of ethanol was further increased through pretreatment with ginseng butanol fraction. When ginseng butanol fraction was given to mice fed with 5% ethanol instead of water for 60 days, the activity of Ald DH in mitochondrial fraction decreased to about 35% in chronic alcoholism, but after pretreatment of ginseng butanol fraction the activity was restored to the control level. By the pretreatment with disulfiram, the Ald DH activity was inhibited in normal and alcohol-treated groups, but after the treatment with ginseng butanol fraction the activity was restored to the control level. The results suggest that ginseng butanol fraction enhance the Ald DH activity inhibited by the treatment of disulfiram with no relation to NAD. It was observed that ginseng butanol fraction markedly decrease the acetaldehyde levels in plasma and liver. All these observations suggested that reduction of acetaldehyde in blood and liver should be dependent upon increased activity of mitochonclrial Ald DH. It is concluded that the recovery from alcohol intoxication should be prompted by treatment with ginseng.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.263-267
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• 2009

A pancreatico-pleural fistula (PPF), caused by rupture of a pancreatic pseudocyststectomy or obstruction of the pancreatic duct, is a rare condition. A 48-year-old man with chronic alcoholism was admitted with a massive pleural effusion. Pleural fluid studies revealed elevated amylase and lipase. A PPF complicated by a ruptured pancreatic pseudocyststectomy was diagnosed by computerized tomography scan. Although the symptoms improved with conservative management, (chest tube drainage, NPO, total parenteral nutrition, and a pancreatic secretion inhibitor), a distal pancreatectomy, including a pseudocystectomy and thoracotomy, were performed for an increasing size of the hemorrhagic pancreatic pseudocyststectomy and a recurrent hemorrhagic pleural effusion. There were no post-operative complications and the patient was discharged on post-operative day 27.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2013

Hyponatremia, the most common electrolyte disorder, has been rarely reported as causing rhabdomyolysis. Osmotic demyelination syndrome (ODS), a demyelinating disease of the central pons and/or other areas of the brain, is infrequently reported as associated with rapid correction of hyponatremia. This paper reports a case of ODS after correction of severe hyponatremia complicated by rhabdomyolysis. A 47-year-old female with a history of chronic alcoholism presented herself at the hospital with altered consciousness after three days of nausea and vomiting. She was on a thiazide diuretic for essential hypertension. Her blood tests upon her hospital admission showed hyponatremia ($Na^+$ 98 mEq/L), hypokalemia ($K^+$ 3.0 mEq/L), and elevation of her serum creatine phosphokinase (3,370 IU/L) with an increase in her serum myoglobin level 11,267 ng/mL). She was treated with intravenous fluid therapy that included isotonic and hypertonic salines along with potassium chloride. She became more alert, and her neurological condition gradually improved after the first five days of her therapy. On the ninth day after her admission, she developed progressive quadiaresis associated with dysarthria, dysphagia, and dystonia despite the resolution of her hyponatremia. Magnetic resonance imaging of her brain on 16th day revealed symmetrical areas of signal hyperintensity in her central pons, basal ganglia, and precentral gyrus in T2-weighted images, which are consistent with ODS. Her neurological symptoms steadily improved after six weeks with only supportive treatment and rehabilitation.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.300-303
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• 2013

Blunt abdominal trauma is commonly encountered in the emergency department. The lack of historical data and the presence of distracting injuries or altered mental status, from head injury or intoxication, can make these injuries difficult to diagnose and manage. We experienced a case of traumatic organized hematoma misdiagnosed as intra-peritoneal tumor with intestinal obstruction. A 52-year-old homeless male patient who have chronic alcoholism was admitted via emergency room with infra-umbilical abdominal pain. At admission, he was drunken status and so we could not be aware of blows to the abdomen. He had a unknown large operation scar on mid abdomen. A computed tomography (CT) scan showed the intestinal obstruction of the ileum level with 5.5cm sized mesenteric tumor. We performed adhesiolysis and widely segmental resection of small bowel including tumor with side-to-side anastomosis due to great discrepancy in size. He stated later that he was a victim of the violence before 3 weeks. A final pathologic report revealed well encapsulated, traumatic mesenteric hematoma with organizing thrombi, ischemia and abscess formation with multiple adhesion bands. Finally, the patient was discharged without complications on postoperative day 14.