• Title/Summary/Keyword: Negative association

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A Survey on the Effect of Consumer's Social-Economic Status on Beef Purchase Attitude (소비자의 사회 경제적 위치가 쇠고기 구매 태도에 미치는 영향)

  • Lee, Seong-Kap;Yang, Seok-Jin;Kim, Dong-Hoon;Cho, Bong-Jae;Jang, Jung-Young;Lee, Hyo-Ku;Yoon, Bo-Ra;Lee, Young-Jun;Lee, Ok-Hwan
    • The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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    • v.25 no.1
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    • pp.132-141
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    • 2012
  • This current survey was conducted to examine consumer attitudes toward factors determining beef purchasing and improving distribution systems. The frequency of beef purchasing was shown to reflect social and economic status, where inhabitants in large cities, such as Seoul, with higher salaries showed a higher frequency. In addition, consumers that were in their forties bought beef more frequently than consumers that were in their twenties. Consumers in Seoul and the megalopolis with a monthly income of higher than 200 million won preferred to purchase meat from department stores and discount markets. In contrast, people in small cities with lower incomes tended to buy meat from butcher shops and brand shops. In a question regarding unsatisfaction factors of retail beef, individuals that were in their thirties with a high income had concerns associated with packaging problems. For people under thirty with low income, the consistency of quality and price were the prime concerns. In regards to the beef grading system, consumer response varied between inhabitants, monthly income and age group, where consumers from small cities that were in their twenties and forties with a low income had a negative viewpoint. For the differential beef distribution system, housewives between the ages of 30 and 40 from a small city with an income higher than 200 million won had a positive response; however, a large number of consumers were not familiar with this system. The most demanding beef cuts were in the following order: loin, flank and rib. In addition, the most important factors determining purchasing beef were as follows: price, breed and portion.

The Relationship Between Perception of Prosody, Pitch Discrimination, and Melodic Contour Identification in Cochlear Implants Recipients (인공와우이식 난청인의 말소리 운율변화에 따른 구어 이해와 음도 변별, 선율윤곽 확인 간 관련성)

  • Kim, Eun Yeon;Moon, Il Joon;Cho, Yang-sun;Chung, Won-ho;Hong, Sung Hwa
    • Journal of Music and Human Behavior
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    • v.14 no.2
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    • pp.1-18
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    • 2017
  • The relationships between the ability to understand changes in meaning depending on the prosody of spoken words and the ability to perceive pitch and melodic contour in cochlear implants (CI) recipients were examined. Fifteen postlingual CI recipients were measured in terms of speech prosody perception, speech perception, pitch discrimination (PD), and melody contour identification (MCI). The speech prosody perception test consists of words with positive (PW) and neutral meaning (NW). Participants were asked to identify the meaning of words depending on the conditions of positive and negative prosody. The MCI consists of subtests 1 and 2 with different chance levels to choose. Then, the relationships between speech prosody perception, speech perception, PD, and MCI performance were analyzed. There was a significant difference in identifying the meaning of words expressed in a different prosody between the PW and NW conditions. Speech prosody perception showed a significant correlation with MCI 1 while there was no significant relationship with speech perception. Although speech perception may be possible after CI, limited spoken word comprehension due to decreased sensitivity for prosodic changes may persist in CI recipients. In addition, there was a limitation in perception of melodic contour change compared to pitch discrimination, which is related to speech prosody perception.

The Effect of Value-added Promotion and Retailer Uncertainty on Customers' Perceived Value of the Product (부가가치 제공 유형별 판매촉진과 유통업체 불확실성이 제품 가치 평가에 미치는 영향 - 사은품(Freebie) 제공 판매촉진을 중심으로 -)

  • Kim, Hyang-Mi;Lee, So-Young;Kim, Jae-Wook
    • Journal of Distribution Research
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    • v.16 no.1
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    • pp.117-140
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    • 2011
  • The sales promotion strategy can be classified into two categories: cost-down and value-added promotions. Although many studies have been performed on sales promotion in the past, little attention has been given on cost-down promotion, and in particular on its strategy. Also there has been a renewed interest on value-added promotion strategy as means of attracting more customers and delivering value by providing a greater benefit. This study examines the effect of value-added promotion on the evaluation of promotional products. The topic is important because the value-added promotions are not always perceived as a benefit by consumers and they depend on the situational factors. We postulate three hypotheses on the basis of related literature. We conduct two studies: one employing experiment (study 1) and the other, quasi-experiment (study 2) to investigate the effect of two situational factors, namely the promotional package type and retailer uncertainty on the valuation of promotional products. Study 1 employs 2 promotional package types (bundled with freebie type vs. one-plus-one type) by 3 evaluation targets (overall package, a focal product and freebie) in experimental design. Also it is found that consumers devaluate the promotional product when the level of retailer uncertainty is high (t=-4.70, p=.000) as shown in Table 2. As depicted in Figure 2, the interaction effect of retailer uncertainty and package types on the evaluation of promotional product as a whole does not appear to be significant. However, when the level of retailer uncertainty is high, the focal product suffers from lower valuation if it is included in a bundle with freebie type package. The purpose of Study 2 is to cross-check the results of Study 1. The results of Study 2 also show that the consumers devaluate the promotional products as a whole when the level of retailer uncertainty is high. Furthermore, Study2 examines the consumers' willingness to purchase. The willingness to purchase of 2 different consumer groups divided by their reservation prices before and after exposure to a promotional stimuli shows no significant differences(t=1.911, p=.057). The results suggest that the consumers' reservation prices before the exposure to the promotion can be a reference prices of their's. But after the promotional events, the promotional price would become their reference prices. Furthermore, when the level of retailer uncertainty is high, consumers devaluate the promotional product as a whole. Because the promotional offerings activate the persuasion knowledge of consumers and make them incorporate negative inference about the firm's motives into their valuation and consequently, consumers tend to hesitate to purchase.

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The Effect of Social Network on Information Sharing in Franchise System (프랜차이즈시스템의 사회연결망 특성이 정보공유에 미치는 영향)

  • Yun, Han-Sung;Bae, Sang-Wook;Noh, Jung-Koo
    • Journal of Distribution Research
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    • v.16 no.2
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    • pp.95-118
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    • 2011
  • The purpose of this study is as follows. First, we investigate empirically the effects of social network properties such as social network density and centrality of a franchisee on its information sharing with various subjects such as the franchisor and other franchisees in the franchise system. Second, we examine exploratively if tie strength between a franchisee and its franchisor plays a moderating role on the relationship between social network properties and information sharing. The study model was established as shown in

    . We gathered 200 data from franchisees in Busan through a questionnaire survey and used 189 data for our purpose. To improve the quality of data, we selected respondents from the franchisees' owners or managers that had contacted often with their franchisor and other franchisees in the franchise system. Our data analysis began with reliability analysis, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, on the multi-item measures of social network density, social network centrality, tie strength, information sharing and control variables such as shared goals and ownership to assess the reliability and validity of those measures. The results were shown that the presented values satisfied the general criteria for reliability and validity. We tested our hypotheses using a hierarchical multiple regression analysis in four steps. Model 1 regressed the dependent variable(information sharing) only on control variables(shared goals, ownership). Model 2 added main effect variables(social network density, social network centrality) in Model 1. Model 3 added a moderating variable(tie strength) in Model 2. Finally, Model 4 added interaction terms between the main variables and the moderating variable in Model 3. We used a mean-centering method for the main variables and the moderating variable to minimize the multicollinearity problem due to the interaction terms in Model 4. Two important empirical findings emerge from this study. In other words, the effects of social network properties and tie strength on a franchisee's information sharing depend on subject types such as the franchisor and other franchisees in franchise system. First, social network centrality, tie strength, the interaction between social network density and tie strength and the interaction between social network centrality and tie strength all affect significantly a franchisee's information sharing with its franchisor. By the way, the interaction between social network centrality and tie strength has a negative effect on its information sharing while the interaction of social network density and tie strength has a positive effect on its information sharing. Second, both social network centrality affects significantly and directly a franchisee's information sharing with other franchisees in the franchise system. However, there does not exist the moderating role of tie strength in the second case. Finally, we suggest the implications of our findings and some avenues for future research.

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The Impact of Price Discount on Perceived Value, Willingness to Buy, and Search Intentions according to the Level of Consumers' Involvement (구매자의 관여도 수준에 따라 가격할인이 지각가치, 구매의향, 탐색의도에 미치는 영향)

  • Yoon, Nam-Soo;Kim, Jae-Yeong;Park, Young-Kyun
    • Journal of Distribution Science
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    • v.9 no.1
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    • pp.39-48
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    • 2011
  • One of the major reasons for fierce competition among firms is that they strive to increase their own market shares in the same market with similar and apparently undifferentiated products in terms of quality and perceived benefit. Due to such changes in the marketing environment, differentiated after-sales service and diversified promotion strategies have become more important in the race to gain a competitive advantage. Price discount is one of the popular promotion strategies that most retailers use, especially to increase sales, but offering a price discount does not always lead to the expected result. If marketers apply an identical price-promotion strategy without considering the characteristic differences in products and consumer preferences, the discounted price itself may make people skeptical about the quality of the product. Moreover, the changes in perceived value may appear differently depending on factors such as consumer involvement. This implies that variables such as the level of consumer involvement, brand loyalty, and external reference prices, in reality, would have different effects on how consumers perceive the value of price discounts. The variables that affect consumers' perceived values and buying decisions are diverse and complicated. Several studies have examined the effects of such variables as external reference price, selling price, and brand on consumers' perceived value of products. Results have not shown consistent patterns. Therefore, we must note that the factors affecting consumers' value perceptions and buying behaviors are diverse and that the results of studies on the same dependent variable come out differently depending on what that variable is. This study focused on the level of consumer involvement as a salient variable that supposedly affects the perceived value of a product, willingness to buy, and search intentions. We tried to examine whether a price discount affects the perceived value-such as perceived acquisition value and perceived transaction value-in different ways depending on the level of consumer involvement. In addition, we proposed managerial implications that marketers need to consider as a whole, for instance, product attributes, brand loyalty, and involvement and then established a differentiated pricing strategy, case by case, in order to effectively enhance consumers' perceived values. As a result, we found that perceived transaction value positively affects perceived acquisition value and when discounting the price of a high-involvement product enhances the consumer's willingness to buy, but perceived acquisition value does not affect the search intentions significantly. In the case of discounting prices of low-involvement products, on the other hand, the perceived transaction value has a positive effect on the willingness to buy, but the negative effect of perceived acquisition value on the search intentions was not significant. We suppose that people doubt a product's quality because of a declined perceived quality derived from a price discount. Even though the price discount enhanced the transaction value, people eventually increased their level of searching for additional product information. From the results of this study, we suggest that marketers ought to establish an appropriate value-enhancing strategy based on the understanding of which perceived value consumers rely on more when they conduct purchasing behavior because consumers perceive the degree of importance of acquisition value or transaction value differently, depending on their level of involvement.

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Effect of Different Seasons on the Performance of Grey Giant Rabbits under Sub-Temperate Himalayan Conditions

  • Bhatt, R.S.;Sharma, S.R.;Singh, Umesh;Kumar, Davendra;Bhasin, V.
    • Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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    • v.15 no.6
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    • pp.812-820
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    • 2002
  • An experiment was conducted on 190 progeny (winter -74; summer -59; rainy -57) of 12 Grey Giant rabbits (10 female +2 males), to assess the effect of different seasons in a year, on their reproductive, growth and productive performances along with feed efficiency, under sub-temperate Himalayan conditions. The daily meteorological attributes recorded during winter (October to March), summer (April to June) and rainy (July to September) seasons, and analysed were minimum and maximum temperature, relative humidity and rainfall. Various biological parameters recorded were doe weights at mating and kindling, litter size at birth, litter weight at birth, kit mortality, litter size at weaning, litter weight at weaning, weekly body weight up to 98 d and weaner mortality. Individual weight gains, dressing percentages, meat weights, liver weights, raw-pelt weights, processed pelt weights and processed pelt areas at slaughter on d 84 and 98, respectively were also recorded. The feed and fodder compositions and their nutritive values during different seasons were also analysed. Average ambient temperature during winter, summer and rainy seasons were $13.2{\pm}2.8$, $22.4{\pm}3.7$ and $24.8{\pm}2.3^{\circ}C$, respectively. The average relative humidity and total rainfall for winter, summer and rainy seasons were $68.9{\pm}1.5$% and $48{\pm}26.6$mm, $66.3{\pm}4.8$% and $125.6{\pm}56.8$ mm, and $77.3{\pm}1.3$% and $116.3{\pm}90.4$ mm, respectively. The weight of doe at mating and kindling, litter size at birth, litter weight at birth and litter size at weaning were comparatively higher whereas litter weight at weaning was significantly (p<0.05) higher during winter as compared to summer and rainy seasons. The kit mortality was significantly (p<0.05) higher during winter while the weaner mortality was significantly (p<0.05) higher during rainy season. At 84 d, the live weight per doe, slaughter weight, dressing percentage and liver weight were significantly (p<0.05) higher during winter than summer and rainy. Similarly, the gain in weight and meat weight at 84 and 98 d were significantly (p<0.05) higher during winter. The weight of raw pelt and processed pelt were recorded significantly (p<0.05) higher during winter while no difference in the area of processed pelts during different seasons could be observed. No difference in the biological performance could be observed between sexes in any of the seasons. Roughage analysis revealed comparatively higher crude protein percent and lower crude fibre percent during summer and rainy seasons than in winter. The roughage dry matter intake was comparatively higher during summer and rainy seasons vis-a-vis constant amount of concentrate supplied during all the three seasons. The digestibilities of dry matter was significantly (p<0.05) lower, whereas that of crude fiber, acid detergent fibre and cellulose were negative during winter. Interestingly, the feed:gain was exceedingly well during winter than in other seasons and it is concluded that it was the best season for production of rabbits under sub-temperate Himalayan conditions.

Effects of Organic or Inorganic Acid Supplementation on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility and White Blood Cell Counts in Weanling Pigs

  • Kil, D.Y.;Piao, L.G.;Long, H.F.;Lim, J.S.;Yun, M.S.;Kong, C.S.;Ju, W.S.;Lee, H.B.;Kim, Y.Y.
    • Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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    • v.19 no.2
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    • pp.252-261
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    • 2006
  • Four experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of organic or inorganic acid supplementation on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, intestinal measurements and white blood cell counts of weanling pigs. In growth trial (Exp I), a total of 100 crossbred pigs ({$Landrace{\times}Yorkshire$}${\times}$Duroc), weaned at $23{\pm}2$ days of age and $7.25{\pm}0.10kg$ average initial body weight (BW), were allotted to 5 treatments by body weight and sex in a randomized complete block (RCB) design. Three different organic acids (fumaric [FUA], formic [FOA] or lactic acid [LAA]) and one inorganic acid (hydrochloric acid [SHA]) were supplemented to each treatment diet. Each treatment had 5 replicates with 4 pigs per pen. During 0-3 wk, average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI) and feed efficiency (G/F ratio) were not significantly different among treatments. However, pigs fed LAA or SHA diet showed improved ADG by 15 or 13% respectively and 12% greater ADFI in both treatments compared to CON diets. Moreover, compared to organic acid treatments, better ADG (p = 0.07) and ADFI (p = 0.09) were observed in SHA diet compared to pigs that were fed the diet containing organic acids (FUA, FOA or LAA). However, during 4-5 wk, no differences in ADG, ADFI and G/F ratio were observed among treatments. Overall, ADG, ADFI and G/F ratio were not affected by acidifier supplementation. Although it showed no significant difference, pigs fed LAA or SHA diets showed numerically higher ADG and ADFI than pigs fed other treatments. In metabolic trial (Exp II), 15 pigs were used to evaluate the effect of acidifier supplementation on nutrient digestibility. The digestibility of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), crude fat (CF), crude ash (CA), calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) was not improved by acidifier supplementation. Although the amount of fecal-N excretion was not different among treatments, that of urinary-N excretion was reduced in acidsupplemented treatments compared to CON group (p = 0.12). Subsequently, N retention was improved in acid-supplemented groups (p = 0.17). In anatomical trial (Exp III), the pH and $Cl^-$ concentrations of digesta in gastrointestinal (GI) tracts were not affected by acidifier supplementation. No detrimental effect of intestinal and lingual (taste bud) morphology was observed by acidifier supplementation particularly in inorganic acid treatment. In white blood cell assay (Exp IV), 45 pigs were used for measuring white blood cell (WBC) counts. In all pigs after LPS injection, WBC counts had slightly declined at 2 h and kept elevating at 8 h, then returned to baseline by 24 h after injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). However, overall WBC counts were not affected by acidifier supplementation. In conclusion, there was no difference between organic and inorganic acidifier supplementation in weanling pigs' diet, however inorganic acidifier might have a beneficial effect on growth performance and N utilization with lower supplementation levels. Furthermore, inorganic acidifier had no negative effect on intestinal measurements and white blood cell counts in weanling pigs. These results suggested that inorganic acidifier might be a good alternative to organic acidifiers in weanling pigs.

Airway size in malocclusions with hyperdivergent skeletal pattern (개방교합성 골격헝태를 갖는 부정교합자의 기도크기)

  • Kwak, So-Yeong;Kim, Hyo-Young;Jeon, Young-MI;Kim, Jong-Ghee
    • The korean journal of orthodontics
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    • v.33 no.4 s.99
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    • pp.293-305
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    • 2003
  • The pharynx have significant locations and functions because it forms a part of the unit in which respiration and deglutition are carried out. Because of the closed relationship between the pharynx and the dentofacial and craniofacial structure, many studies are carried out on this subjects. The purpose of this study were to compare the airway size including pharynx, soft palate, tongue and hyoid bone between normal and hyperdivergent skeletal pattern and to evaluate the change of those size in different age. The sample of this study were consisted of 51 subjects in normal group, 52 subjects in hyperdivergent group. Each was divided into two subgroups by age , child group(9-l2yr old) and adult group(18yr old over). The lateral cephalometric radiographs were taken and the distance, angle and ratio of the facial skeleton, pharynx, soft palate, tongue and hyoid bone were measured and evaluated statistically. The result obtained were summarized as follows : 1 SN-Mn angle, FMA, and Pal-Mn angle were significantly larger in child group than adult group, but the lower anterior facial height(LAFH) and facial height ratio(FHR) were significantly smaller in child group than adult group. Occlu-Mn angle was significantly steep in hyperdivergent group than normal, but not significantly different between child group and adult group. 2. Hyperdivergent group and child group had the stronger correlation between SN-Mn angle, FMA, Pal-Mn angle, LAFH and FHR and airway size than normal group and adult group. Hyperdivevgent child group had significant negative correlation between SN-Mn angle, FMA, Pal-Mn angle and sagittal skeletal dimension of nasopharynx and sagittal depth of nasopharyngeal lumen. Significant positive correlation were seen between LAFH and vertical measurement of airway. 3. There was no difference of the linear measurement of airway size between hyperdivergent group and normal group. 4. Adult group had smaller posterior pharyngeal wall, target nasopharyngeal depth longer nasopharyngeal height and longer pharyngeal length than child group. 5. The sagittal measurement of hyoid bone had no difference between child group and adult group. But adult group had larger vertical measurement of hyoid bone than child group.

Association of food intake with serum levels of phosphorus and potassium in hemodialysis patients (혈액투석 환자의 일상식품군 섭취량에 따른 혈청 인, 칼륨 농도의 상관성 분석)

  • Woo, Hye Jin;Lee, Yeon Joo;Oh, Il Hwan;Lee, Chang Hwa;Lee, Sang Sun
    • Journal of Nutrition and Health
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    • v.47 no.1
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    • pp.33-44
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    • 2014
  • Purpose: Elevated serum phosphorus and potassium levels are a major problem for hemodialysis (HD) patients. Hyperphosphatemia and hyperkalemia are closely related to intake of dietary phosphorus and potassium. Methods: This study was conducted in order to investigate the effects of food consumed on serum phosphorus and potassium levels in 48 HD patients (20 males and 28 females). We collected anthropometric data, biochemical parameters, and dietary data of the subjects. Dietary data for usual intake were obtained by use of a food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) consisting of 21 food items. Results: The mean body mass index (BMI) was $22.2{\pm}3.0kg/m^2$, mean serum phosphorus level was $4.50{\pm}1.52mg/dl$, and mean serum potassium level was $4.74{\pm}0.73mEq/l$. Hyperphosphatemia (> 4.5 mg/dl) was found in 45.8% of subjects, and hyperkalemia (> 5.0 mEq/l) in 35.4%. Subjects who took medication only were 56% of total, and those who took medication with dietary therapy were 27%. Patients with medication and dietary therapy showed significantly lower serum phosphorus levels compared to patients with medication only (p < 0.05). Mean duration of HD was $7.9{\pm}7.3$ years and it showed positive correlation with serum potassium levels (p < 0.05). Serum phosphorus levels showed positive correlation with intake of mixed grains and soybean milk (p < 0.05). Serum potassium levels showed positive correlation with intake of mixed grains (p < 0.01), potatoes, fish, and high-potassium vegetables (p < 0.05). On the other hand, intake of white rice showed negative correlation with serum potassium levels (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The results of our study suggest that intake of white rice rather than mixed grains is an important factor in sustaining normal serum phosphorus and potassium levels. In addition, limiting intake of soybean milk, potatoes, and fish to under three serving per week is recommended. Finally, conduct of a strict dietary therapy along with medical treatment is desirable because inappropriate food intake increases serum phosphorus and potassium levels to a higher than normal range.

The Effect of Risperidone on Serum Prolactin Concentrations (Risperidone이 혈청 Prolactin 농도에 미치는 영향)

  • Cheon, Jin-Sook;Cho, Woong;Oh, Byoung-Hoon
    • Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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    • v.5 no.2
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    • pp.253-262
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    • 1998
  • Objectives : Risperidone, an atypical antipsychitics which blocks both dopaminergic and serotonergic receptors, have a good response to the negative symptoms as well as positive symptoms, and improve cognitive dysfunction of schizophrenic patients. Furthermore, it has few extrapyramidal side effects and tardive dyskinesia. Although it had been reported that the atypical antipsychotics have less effect on prolactin(PRL) than the classical antipsychotics, we could experience PRL-associated symptoms such as amenorrhea, galactorrhea and hyperprolactinemia in practice. Therefore, we tried to identify the sex differences of risperidone-induced hyperprolactinemia, to evaluate factors affecting PRL levels, and to know the association between cognitive disorders and PRL. Methods : The baseline levels of PRL and TSH prior to risperidone administration were measured by enzyme immunoassay method for 50 patients(25 ma-les and 25 females) admitted with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder or schizophreniform disorder according to the DSM-IV classification, and the measurements of PRL were repeated on the 2nd and the 4th wks of risperidone administration. Concomitantly, the severity of psychotic symptoms using CGI, BPRS and PANSS, and the cognitive dysfunction using PANSS-CF were assessed prior to, on the 2nd and the 4th wks of risperidone administration. The PRL and TSH levels of 54 healthy controls(29 males and 25 females) who had no medical, neurological and psychiatric illnesses were also evaluated. Furthermore, the correlation with the psychiatric diagnosis, education, age, sex, duration of illnesses, risperidone dosage, duration of risperdone administration, TSH concentration, cognitive function, severity of psychotic symptoms were also identified. Results : 1) The baseline PRL levels of female schizophrenics($74.3{\pm}49.6ng/ml$) were significantly(p<0.005) higher than those of males($36.3{\pm}24.6ng/ml$), which were significantly(p<0.0001 respectively) higher than those of controls(females $16.9{\pm}6.1ng/ml$, males $13.3{\pm}4.9ng/ml$). The PRL levels measured on the 2nd wks(females $133.7{\pm}47.8ng/ml$, males $56.9{\pm}23.6ng/ml$) and on the 4th wks(females $146.1{\pm}45.9ng/ml$, males $70.0{\pm}31.5ng/ml$) after risperidone administration were significantly(p<0.0001 respectively) higher in females. The mean dosages of risperidone on the 2nd wks were $3.8{\pm}1.7mg$(2-6mg) for the females and $4.0{\pm}1.6mg$(2-6mg) for the males, and on the 4th wks were $4.5{\pm}2.1mg$(2-8mg) for the females and $5.4{\pm}2.2mg$(2-8mg) for the males. 2) The rise of PRL levels were positively correlated with increased risperidone dosage in males(${\gamma}$=0.307 on the 2nd wks and ${\gamma}$=0.280 on the 4th wks), while they were not correlated with dosages in females. For the females, the PRL levels were negatively correlated(${\gamma}$=-0.320) with decrease of TSH concentration. The baseline PRL levels were not correlated with age, education, duration of illnesses, psychopathology, cognitive disorders in both males and females, while it was negatively correlated with TSH levels only in females(${\gamma}$=-0.320). 3) The cognitive dysfunction was not correlated with PRL levels in males, while PANSS-CF scores were negatively correlated with PRL levels(${\gamma}$=-0.220 on the 2nd wks and ${\gamma}$=-0.366 on the 4th wks) in females. The psychopathology was positively correlated with cognitive dysfunction in both males and females. Therefore, the risperidone-induced cognitive improvement seemed to be correlated with improvement of psychopathology in both males and females, and with increase in PRL levels only in females. Conclusions : The fact that the serum PRL levels of schizophrenics were higher than those of controls, especially in females suggested that it could be related with risperidone dosage in males and with primary pathological process in females. The risperidone-associated cognitive improvement seemed to be related with general improvement of psychopathology as well as the rise of PRL levels especially in females. The facts that the effect of risperidoneinduced hyperprolactinemia and the cognitive function were more in females suggested that somewhat different mechanisms could be exerted on them.

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