• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.143-150
• /
• 1997

This study was performed to evaluate the characteristics of smoking behavior and the effects of smoking on clinical symptoms and level of serum prolactin in schizophrenic patients. Methods : 76 male schizophrenic patients answered the questionnaire about the characteristics of smoking patterns. And patients were assessed by brief psychiatric rating scale(BPRS), positive and negative syndrome scle(PANSS), Hamilton rating scale for depression(HAM-D), assessment for involuntary movement scale(AIMS) and symptom checklist 90 R(SCL-90-R). Serum prolactin levels were measured by enzymeimmunoassay. Results: 1) The frequences of drinking coffee were significantly higher in smokers. The reasons for smoking were to relieve tension, to avoid boredom, due to habit and to do with friends. 80.1% of smokers tried quitting, but smoking was relapsed due to craving and withdrawal symptoms. 2) No significant difference was seen in mean neuropeltic doses, scores of PANSS and AIMS. But as for BPRS, scores of anxiety/depression subscale were significanly lower in smokers. Scores of HAM-D and scores of interpersonal sensitivity and phobia among SCL-90-R were significantly lower. 3) Levels of serum prolactin were significanlty lower in smokers. Conclusion : These findings suggest that in schisophrenia smoking relieves anxiety and depression subjectively But decreased prolactin levels may suggest that the possibility of increased dopamine in CNS.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.59-67
• /
• 2018

Objectives : The aims of this study were to know the frequency and the nature of cognitive dysfunction in type 2 diabetics, and to reveal influencing variables on it. Methods : From eighty type 2 diabetics (42 males and 38 females), demographic and clinical data were obtained by structured interviews. Cognitive functions were measured using the MMSE-K (Korean Version of the Mini-Mental State Examination) and the Korean Version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-K) tests. Severity of depression was evaluated by the Korean Version of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (K-HDRS). Results : 1) Among eighty type 2 diabetics, 13.75% were below 24 on the MMSE-K, while 38.8% were below 22 on the MoCA-K. 2) The total scores and subtest scores of the MoCA-K including visuospatial/ executive, attention, language, delayed recall and orientation were significantly lower in type 2 diabetics with cognitive dysfunction (N=31) than those without cognitive dysfunction (N=49) (p<0.001, respectively). 3) There were significant difference between type 2 diabetics with and those without cognitive dysfunction in age, education, economic status, body mass index, duration of diabetes, total scores of the K-HDRS, the MMSE-K and the MoCA-K (p<0.05, respectively). 4) The total scores of the MoCA-K had significant correlation with age, education, body mass index, family history of diabetes, duration of diabetes, total scores of the K-HDRS (p<0.05, respectively). 5) The risks of cognitive dysfunction in type 2 diabetics were significantly influenced by sex, education, fasting plasma glucose and depression. Conclusions : The cognitive dysfunction in type 2 diabetics seemed to be related to multiple factors. Therefore, more comprehensive biopsychosocial approaches needed for diagnosis and management of type 2 diabetes.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.52-58
• /
• 2001

Objectives: An Increased level of psychophysiologic arousal and diminished physiologic flexibility would be observed in patients with panic disorder compared with a normal control group. We investigated the differences of psychophysiologic response between patients with panic disorder and normal control to examine this hypothesis. Methods: Ten Korean patients with panic disorder who met the diagnostic criteria of DSM-IV were compared with 10 normal healthy subjects. In psychological assessment, levels of anxiety and depression were evaluated by State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Beck's Depression Inventory and Hamilton Rating Scale For Anxiety and Depression. Heart rate, respiration rate, electrodermal response, and electromyographic activity were measured by biofeedback system (J & J I-330 model) to determine psychophysiologic responses on autonomic nervous system. Stressful tasks included mental arithmetic, video game, hyperventilation, and talking about a stressful event. Psychophysiologic responses were measured according to the following procedures : baseline(3 min)-mental arithmetic (3 min)-rest (3 min)-video game (3 min)-rest (3 min)-hyperventilation (3 min)-rest (3 min)-talking about a stressful event (3 min). Results: The baseline level of anxiety and depression, electrodermal response (p=.017), electromyographic activity (p=.047) and heart rate (p=.049) of patients with panic disorder were significantly higher than those of the normal subject group. In electrodermal response, patient group had significantly higher startle response than the control group during hyperventilation (p=.001). Startle and recovery responses of heart rate in the patient group were significantly lower than responses in the control group during mental arithmetic (p=.007, p=.002). In electrodermal response of the patient group, startle response was significantly higher than recovery response during mental arithmetic (p=.000) and video game task (p=.021). Recovery response was significantly higher than startle response in respiratory response during hyperventilation. Conclusion: The results showed that patients with panic disorder had higher autonomic arousal than the control group, but the physiologic flexibility was variable. We suggest that it is helpful for treatment of panic disorder to decrease the level of autonomic arousal and to recover the physiologic flexibility in certain stressful event.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.104-111
• /
• 2014

Objectives : The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between metabolic syndrome and cognitive functions among chronic schizophrenia patients. Methods : The survey participants were 105(40 metabolic syndrome and 65 non-metabolic syndrome) chronic schizophrenia patients at Yang-san Hospital. Each score of cognitive test(A Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Packet, stroop test), Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Hamilton rating scale for Depression were assessed. Statistical analysis of the relationship between various tests of A Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Packet and metabolic syndrome were performed using ANCOVA and logistic regression. Results : Schizophrenia patients with lower score on construction praxia were likely to be included in Metabolic syndrome group. However, there were no significant relationships in other tests between the two groups. Conclusions : This study found metabolic syndrome caused cognitive decline in chronic schizophrenia patients, especially Construction praxia. This study could be a basis to show metabolic syndrome has to be treated appropriately in schizophrenia patients and suggests the necessity of following longitudinal designed study.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.71-76
• /
• 2012

Objectives : Novelty seeking (NS) represents a dopaminergically modulated tendency toward frequent exploratory activity. Considering the reports showing the relationship between exploratory activity and amygdalar function and structure, and the fact that amygdala is one of the key structures that constitute the dopaminergic pathway in the brain, amygdala might be closely related to NS tendencies. Amygdalar subregional analysis method, which has the enhanced sensitivity compared to the volumteric approach would be appropriate in investigating the subtle differences of amygdalar structures among healthy individuals. The aim of the current study was to examine whether amygdalar subregional morphometric characteristics are associated with the NS tendencies in healthy adults using the amygdalar subregional analysis method. Methods : Twenty-six healthy adults (12 males, 14 females ; mean age $29.8{\pm}6.2$ years) were screened for eligibility. All subjects completed the Korean version of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and underwent high-resolution brain magnetic resonance imaging. Individuals were divided into 2 groups according to NS scores of the TCI. Results : Individuals of the high NS group had significantly larger laterobasal subregions in right amygdala, after adjustment with the brain parenchymal volumes. Sensitivity analyses for each potential confounding factor such as age, education years and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) scores demonstrated consistent results. Conclusions : This study suggests that NS differences are associated with the laterobasal subregion of the amygdala.

• Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.469-480
• /
• 2018

Objective: Pharmacogenomic-based antidepressant treatment (PGATx) may result in more precise pharmacotherapy of major depressive disorder (MDD) with better drug therapy guidance. Methods: An 8-week, randomized, single-blind clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and tolerability of PGATx in 100 patients with MDD. All recruited patients were randomly allocated either to PGATx (n=52) or treatment as usual (TAU, n=48) groups. The primary endpoint was a change of total score of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17 (HAMD-17) from baseline to end of treatment. Response rate (at least 50% reduction in HAMD-17 score from baseline), remission rate (HAMD-17 score ${\leq}7$ at the end of treatment) as well as the change of total score of Frequency, Intensity, and Burden of Side Effects Ratings (FIBSER) from baseline to end of treatment were also investigated. Results: The mean change of HAMD-17 score was significantly different between two groups favoring PGATx by -4.1 point of difference (p=0.010) at the end of treatment. The mean change in the FIBSER score from baseline was significantly different between two treatment groups favoring PGATx by -2.5 point of difference (p=0.028). The response rate (71.7 % vs. 43.6%, p=0.014) were also significantly higher in PGATx than in TAU at the end of treatment, while the remission rate was numerically higher in PGATx than in TAU groups without statistical difference (45.5% vs. 25.6%, p=0.071). The reason for early drop-out associated with adverse events was also numerically higher in TAU (n=9, 50.0%) than in PGATx (n=4, 30.8%). Conclusion: The present study clearly demonstrate that PGATx may be a better treatment option in the treatment of MDD in terms of effectiveness and tolerability; however, study shortcomings may limit a generalization. Adequately-powered, well-designed, subsequent studies should be mandatory to prove its practicability and clinical utility for routine practice.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.46-50
• /
• 1996

This study was designed to examine the basal cyclic AMP levels and the $10^{-5}mol/L$ isoproterenol-stimulated cyclic AMP levels of lymphocytes, by which ${\beta}$-adrenoceptor function was shown, between to normal controls and 17 drug free patients(8 major depresive patients and 9 dysthymic patients), who were diagnosed by DSM-III-R. The severity of depression was assessed by Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HDRS). Cyclic AMP levels were measured by radioimmunoassay(double antibody). The results were as follows ; 1) HDRS score was significantly higher in major depressive patients($41.8{\pm}4.6$) than in dysthymic patients($24.0{\pm}4.2$)(p<005). 2) There was no Significant difference in basal cyclic AMP levels among normal controls($3.9{\pm}1.7pmol/10^6cells/10min$), major depressive patients($2.1{\pm}0.5pmol/10^6cells/10min$), and dysthymic patients($3.9{\pm}1.8pmol/10^6cells/10min$). 3) There was significant difference in net cyclic AMP levels($10^{-5}mol/L$ isoproterenol-stimulated cyclic AMP levels minus basal cyclic AMP levels) among normal controls($16.5{\pm}6.0pmol/10^6cells/10min$), major depressive patients($3.0{\pm}1.4pmol/10^6cells/10min$), dysthymic patients($10.9{\pm}4.4pmol/10^6cells/10min$)(p <005). 4) The net cyclic AMP levels were significantly correlated with HDRS scores in major depressive patients(${\gamma}=-0.8^6$, p<0.05), but not in dysthymic patients(${\gamma}=0.43$, p=0.25). In conclusion, we suggested that the dysthymic disorder might differ from the molar depressive disorder not only in the severity of depressive symptoms but also in ${\beta}$-adrenergic responsiveness of lymphocytes, which was regarded as a biological marker of depressive disorder.