• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.149-154
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• 2017

Objectives This study investigated associations between symptom severity and neurocognitive functions in patients with major depressive disorder using comprehensive neuropsychological tests. Methods Ten patients with low depression (LD) and 22 patients with high depression (HD) participated. Symptom severity was determined by both the Beck Depression Inventory and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Additionally, anxiety was measured by the Korean version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-KYZ). Ten subtests of the Korean-Wechsler Adult Intelligence scale (K-WAIS), Stroop test, the word/design fluency tests were administered to assess cognition. Results The LD and HD groups did not differ in any of cognitive measures but anxiety level. Namely, the HD group obtained significantly higher scores on the state (U = 29.50, p < 0.01) and trait (U = 28.50, p < 0.001) anxiety scales than the LD group. A significant interaction effect between trait anxiety and depression severity was observed on the picture arrangement subtest of the K-WAIS [F (1, 27) = 5.09, p < 0.05]. Conclusions Cognitive deficits observed in patients with major depressive disorder may be related to other factors rather than current symptom severity. Trait anxiety possibly moderates the effect of current symptom severity on social judgment in these patients.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.95-102
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• 2006

Object : Nerve growth factor(NGF) is a protein involved in neuronal survival and plasticity in the central nervous system, which might play an important role in stress, depression and suicide. This study was performed to determine whether there is an alteration in plasma NGF concentrations in depressed patients with suicidal attempt. Methods : The subjects were 32 depressed patients who attempted suicide and admitted in emergency room. Forty-four hospitalized non-suicidal depressive patients and the 30 normal controls were closely matched with the suicidal group in terms of age and sex. Individuals in all 3 groups were evaluated independently by a semi-structured interview for the purpose of establishing a DSM-IV criteria diagnosis. The severity of depressive symptoms was evaluated using Hamilton depression rating scale(HDRS). The severity of the suicidal behavior was evaluated by Weisman and Worden's risk-rescue rating(RRR) system and the Lethality Suicide Attempt Rating Scale(LSARS). Plasma NGF level was measured by the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) method. Results : There were no statistically significant differences of the plasma NGF levels among groups. LSARS and RRR did not reveal any significant correlation with ${\beta}$-NGF level in suicidal depressive patients. Conclusion : This study do not support an association between ${\beta}$-NGF and suicidal depression. However it is necessary to investigate this association through other route such as postmortem brain.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 1995

The efficacy of fluoxetine was evaluated in 32 patients with major depression in double-blind amitriptyline-controlled clinical trials. Patients were randomly assigned to 6 weeks of treatment with 20mg/day of fluoxetine and 25-100mg/day of amitriptyline. We used the Hamilton rating scale for depression(HAM-D) and the Clinical Global Improvement(CGI) to evaluate the improvement of depression. In addition, we also used the Covi Anxiety Scale and the Anxiety/Somatization subscale of HAM-D to investigate the relieving effect of anxiety. The improvement by fluoxetine in mean total score of HAM-D and CGI was comparable to amitriptyline. Fluoxetine also reduced anxiety significantly, but there was no difference between fluoxetine and amitriptyline in relieving anxiety symptoms. Fluoxetine showed considerably less adverse effects, especially anticholinergic effect and weight gain than amitriptyline. In conclusion, 20mg/day of fluoxetine was sufficiently effective in the treatment of depressive patients and was better tolerated than amitriptyline.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.42-47
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• 2007

Objectives : Studies have reported differences between depressed adults and controls in quantitative measures of EEG alpha asymmetry, but, there are few using Korean subjects. So, the present study compared EEG regional alpha asymmetries of patients having major depressive disorder(MDD) and normal controls. Methods : The subjects in this study were 11 unmedicated unipolar depressed patients and 11 non-depressed, age matched controls. Resting EEG(eyes closed and eyes open) was recorded from each participant using 8 scalp electrodes. Beck Depression Inventory(BDI), 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale(HDRS), Zung's Self-Rating Depression Scale(SDS) and Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory(STAI) were used to evaluate depression and anxiety symptoms. Results : The severities of depression measured by self-report questionnaires were positively associated with those of anxiety(state and trait) ; The subjects were both anxious and depressed. Anxious-depressed patients differed from controls in alpha asymmetry at T4 channels. They showed evidence of greater activation over right than left temporal site. Conclusion : These findings are consistent with the previousely reported alpha asymmetry of depressed patients with an anxiety disorder. The failure to find the evidence of reduced right parietal activity in depression is presumed to be due to opposing effects of comorbid anxiety on parietotemporal activity.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.106-112
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• 2013

Objective : Several reports have found abnormal levels of androgen in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients. This abnormality in androgen is hypothesized to due to chronic psychological stress effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) system. The present study was conducted to estimate serum testosterone levels in PTSD patients in comparison with normal subjects. Methods : Seventy-five male Korean veterans of the Vietnam War volunteered for the study, of which eleven were excluded because of incomplete psychological assessment. To measure basal serum testosterone, blood samples were collected between 8.00 and 9.30 a.m. The clinician administered PTSD scale (CAPS), the structured clinical interview for DSM-IV (SCID), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D), Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview Plus (Korean version of MINI-Plus), CES-K (Korean version of combat exposure scale). Results : The serum testosterone level of PTSD patients ($5.4{\pm}2.5ng/mL$) was higher than that of a control group ($3.1{\pm}1.7ng/mL$, p<0.001). Testosterone levels were significantly correlated with CAPS (r=.38, p<.01), HAM-A (r=.35, p<.01) and HAM-D (r=.28, p<.01) in all subjects. Conclusion : The results of the present study suggest that chronic psychological stress affects the HPG system.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.1-14
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• 2007

The objective of tills study is to identify the difference of somatic characteristics between Hwa-Byung and Major Depression by comparing the pattern identification of Hwa-Byung group and Hwa-Byung with Major Depression group(double diagnosis) Method: According to Hwa-Byung Diagnostic Interview Schedule(HBDIS) and SCID, 17 patients as diagnosed Hwa-Byung and 20 patients as diagnosed Hwa-Byung with Major Depression group(double diagnosis) were recruited. and by depression scale like Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression(HRDS) & Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale(MADRS), we excluded patients complaining moderate & severe depression among Hwa-Byung group and excluded patients showing mild depression among Hwa-Byung with Major Depression group. After this evaluation, we analysed and compared the pattern identification of both groups by OMS-prime. Result: 1. There were no significant differences of demographic data between both groups. 2. In the result of 'analysis on pattern identification' for all participant used by OMS-prime, most frequent pattern was deficiency of Yin and Yang of the heart(49%). 3. In the result of 'analysis on most correlated pattern identification' used by OMS-prime, for Hwa-Byung group was deficiency of Yin and Yang of the heart(45%) and the next were disharmony of the liver and spleen (20%), generation of phlegm due to stagnation of Gallbladder(15%) deficiency of Qi and Yin of the heart(l0%), And for Hwa-Byung with Major Depression group(double diagnosis) was deficiency of Yin and Yang of the heart(53%), the next were generation of phlegm due to stagnation of Gallbladder(18%), and deficiency of Qi and blood of the heart(l2%), 4. In the result of 'analysis on significant pattern identification' used by OMS-prime, for Hwa-Byung group was deficiency of Yin and Yang of the heart(20%) and the next were disharmony of the liver and spleen(15%), generation of phiegm due to stagnation of Gallbladder(15%), deficiency of Qi and Yin of the heart(14%), And for Hwa-Byung plus Major Depression group(double diagnosis) was deficiency of Yin and Yang of the heart(18%), the next were deficiency of Qi and Yin of the heart(18%), deficiency of Qi and blood of the heart(l0%), generation of phiegm due to stagnation of Gallbladder(18%), Conclusion: Hwabyung is syndrome that have many different symptoms, but there is no difference between Hwa-Byung group and Hwa-Byung with Major Depression group(double diagnosis) on the side of symptoms. Therefore, Hwabyung could be a new model for research on depression in Korean.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.131-139
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• 2001

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of PTSD on memory function and hippocampal volume, and to identify major variables correlated to hippocampal volume and memory function. Thirty four Vietnam veterans were collected for this study, among whom eighteen were PTSD patients and sixteen were combat control subjects. The author used Impact of Event Scale(IES), Combat Exposure Scale(CES), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale(HDRS) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Korea Memory Assessment Scale(K-MAS) was assessed for memory function. Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) was used to measure hippocampal volume. There were significant differences between PTSD and Non-PTSD veterans in IES, HDRS and BDI. Significant difference was found in verbal memory and total memory of K-MAS between PTSD and Non-PTSD veterans. There was significant difference in hippocampal volume between PTSD and Non-PTSD veterans. Short term memory, verbal memory and total memory were positively correlated to hippocampal volume. Hippocampal volume was negatively correlated to IES, HDRS, and BDI. These results suggest that PTSD severity be associated with hippocampal atrophy and memory dysfunction. Reduced or smaller hippocampal volume may be preexisting risk factor for stress exposure or the development of PTSD on combat exposure.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2011

Objectives : We examined the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the Depression and Somatic Symptom Scale (DSSS) in Korean patients with depressive symptoms. Methods : Participants were 55 outpatients diagnosed with major depressive disorder, a depressive episode of bipolar I disorder, somatoform disorder, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder according to the DSM-IV criteria. We assessed them using the Korean versions of the DSSS, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), and Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self Report (QIDS-SR). Results : The Korean version DSSS had a Cronbach's alpha of 0.90. Moreover, each item's correlation with the total score was statistically significant (r=0.24-0.71, p<0.01). The test-retest correlation coefficient (r=0.83, p<0.01) was relatively high, and the DSSS correlations with the HDRS and QIDS-SR were 0.77 and 0.74, respectively. Conclusion : These results demonstrate that the Korean version of the DSSS could be a reliable and valid tool for screening and assessing depressive patients. The Korean version of the DSSS will be a useful tool for screening both depressive and somatic symptoms in Korea.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.305-314
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• 2018

Objectives: The objective of this study was to report the clinical effectiveness of the complex Korean medicine therapy and M&L (Mindfulness & Loving presence) psychotherapy on the patient with panic disorder. Methods: The subject for this study was the patient diagnosed with panic disorder who complained about intermittent panic attack and accompanying insomnia. During the treatment period, the patient received complex Korean therapy and M&L psychotherapy. The clinical effects were evaluated through Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Results: After the complex Korean medicine therapy and M&L psychotherapy, the overall symptoms of depression, anxiety, panic disorder and insomnia of the patient were lessened in a relatively short period. No specificities or adverse effects were reported during the treatment period. Conclusions: This study established that the complex Korean medicine therapy and M&L psychotherapy was effective in treating patients with panic disorder.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.109-114
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• 2000

Objectives: This study was performed to examine the characteristic cardiovascular response patterns associated with the imagination and discussion of anger-provoked events in patients with hwa-byung. Methods: Forty-three female patients with hwa-byung were evaluated with the Korean version of the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety, Beck Depression Inventory, and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression just before the task. Subjective Units of Distress (SUDS) and Vividness of the event (VIVID) during the imagination and discussion of the event were evaluated immediately after tasks. Blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) during baseline, rest, and tasks were also evaluated. Results: Both startle and recovery responses of BP, startle response of HR, SUDS, and VIVID in discussion task were significantly larger than in the imagination task. Conclusion: Results suggest that it is undesirable for the patients to excessively and repeatedly recall and talk about the anger events.