• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.188-193
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• 2014

Objective : Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a chronic cerebrovascular occlusive disease of unknown etiology. In addition, the neurocognitive impairment of adults with MMD is infrequently reported and, to date, has not been well described. We attempted to determine both the neurocognitive profile of adult moyamoya disease and whether a superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery (STA-MCA) anastomosis can improve the neurocognitive impairment in exhibiting hemodynamic disturbance without stroke. Methods : From September 2010 through November 2012, 12 patients with angiographically diagnosed MMD underwent STA-MCA anastomosis for hemodynamic impairment. Patients with hypoperfusion and impaired cerebrovascular reserve (CVR) capacity but without evidence of ischemic stroke underwent a cognitive function test, the Seoul Neuropsychological Screening Battery (SNSB). Five patients agreed to undergo a follow-up SNSB test. Data from preoperative and postoperative neurocognitive function tests were compared and analyzed. Results : Five of 12 patients were enrolled. The median age was 45 years (range, 24-55 years). A comparison of preoperative to postoperative status of SNSB, memory domain, especially delayed recall showed significant improvement. Although most of the domains showed improvement after surgery, the results were not statistically significant. Conclusion : In our preliminary study, large proportions of adult patients with MMD demonstrate disruption of cognitive function. This suggests the possibility of chronic hypoperfusion as a primary cause of the neurocognitive impairment. When preoperative and postoperative status of cognitive function was compared, memory domain showed remarkable improvement. Although further study is needed, neurocognitive impairment may be an indication for earlier intervention with reperfusion procedures that can improve cognitive function.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.103-111
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• 2002

Neurocognitive research focusing on cognitive deficits in Depression has resulted in several important but yet potentially contradictory findings. Much literature documents the presence of significant neurocognitive impairments in depressive patients. Studies have shown that dysthymic disorder patients demonstrate a diffuse pattern of cognitive impairment which is frequently indistinguishable from that of focal braindamaged patients. Some reports have suggested that there is a focal pattern of deficit, such as anterior cingulate dysfunction, frontal lobe impairment, or dysfunction of the temporal-limbic cortex. The aim of this study is to evaluate the neurocognitive functions in dysthymic disorder patients, and to compare the functions with those of major depressive disorder patients. The subjects are 17 dysthymic disorder patients. And their neurocognitive functions are compared with those of 23 major depressive episode patients. Patients with a history of neurologic disease, alcohol dependence, substance abuse and mental retardation are excluded. They are assessed with a part of Vienna Test System which is computerized neurocognitive function tests and can evaluate attention, eductive ability, reproductive ability, visuoperceptual analysis, vigilance, visual immediate memory, the speed of information-processing, judgement, and fine motor coordinations. There are no other specific difference between two groups, except the result of cognitrone test. This study provides information about the neurocognitive functions and some difference between major depressive disorder patients and carefully diagnosed dysthymic disorder patients.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.147-158
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• 2003

Objective:The differences of various neurocognitive functions, including attention, memory, motor function, and higher cognitive function were compared between PTSD patients and normal control subjects. Also, correlation with PTSD symptom severity and neurocognitive functions were evaluated between PTSD patients and normal control subjects. Method:We assessed the neurocognitive functions by computerized neurocognitive test(CNT) batteries. The visual continuous performance test(CPT) and digit span test, finger tapping test and Wisconsin card sorting test(WCST) were executed. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised(IES-R) was used in the evaluation of the severity of PTSD. Result:The PTSD patients showed significantly impaired neurocognitive performance in all of the items, compared with normal control subjects. The relation between impairment in neurocognitive functions and symptom severity showed significant correlations. Conclusion:These results imply that PTSD patients have impaired neurocognitive functions concerning with specific brain areas, especially the frontal area. For the thorough evaluation of further neurocognitive functions, more detailed evaluation items of neurocognitive functions and brain imaging studies are necessary in the future study.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.265-273
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• 2020

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of participation in contact sports on neurocognitive scores, dual-task walking velocity, and cognitive costs in retired athletes. Method: Forty-four retired athletes (mean age = 26.4±5.5 yrs) and thirty-eight controls (mean age = 26.1±4.9 yrs) participated in this study. Neurocognitive score was collected using computerized neurocognitive testing using RehaCom. Gait velocity was collected one single task, four dual-tasks, and two multi-tasks using Optogait. Mann-Whitney U test was performed to compared differences in cognitive scores among groups. A mixed-design two-way ANOVA and Bonferroni posthoc test were used to assess the effect of group and walking tasks for each condition. Results: The auditory divided attention of neurocognitive score of retired athletes was higher than the control group (p < 0.05). No statistical differences were observed in the other neurocognitive scores between groups. The changes in walking velocity and cognitive costs according to the dual-task walking tests differed between the two groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Although participation in contact sports did not affect the neurocognitive results of retired athletes, it could be confirmed that the reduction in walking velocity and an increase in cognitive costs during dual-task walking. Rather than observing only neurocognitive scores as a single evaluation item for cognitive evaluation of retired athletes in relation to daily life, the application of the dual-task gait test may provide useful information.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.89-99
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify the needs of bio-signal devices for the diagnosis, assessment, and analysis of neurocognitive disorder in Korean medicine (KM) hospitals and clinics. Methods: A questionnaire was developed to survey the current status of medical device use, and diagnosis and interventions for patients with cognitive disorders in KM hospitals and clinics. November 11~December 2, 2019, 114 responses (71.9% completed) were collected by internet-based questionnaires from the members of the Korean society of Oriental Neuropsychiatry. Results: The clinical requests were in the descending order of hematology analyzer, ultrasound imaging system, and electroencephalography among the 15 most commonly used devices of which research would support for their clinical usability. The biosignal-based devices showed the highest research demands for patients with mild cognitive impairment rather than more severe stages of cognitive impairment. Prevention rather than diagnosis, or several treatment regimens was the strongest clinical area of the KM for patients with neurodegenerative cognitive impairment. Many responded that five to 10 minutes of test duration and 20,000 won to 30,000 won of cost would be appropriated for a new device to be developed. Conclusions: There were strong demands for the development of bio-signal devices for neurocognitive disorders among the KM doctors. Specifically, it showed high needs for the technology that can be used in the prevention area of cognitive disorders. Additionally, new medical devices to assess cognitive functions and to obtain KM pattern-related information were the high needs.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.279-283
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• 2019

Hominis placenta pharmacopuncture, a treatment that injects Hominis placenta extract into acupoints, has been suggested in the literature and researches that it could be used for cognitive decline. We experienced a case of mild neurocognitive disorder treated with Hominis placenta pharmacopuncture. Hominis placenta pharmacopuncture could be a possible treatment modality producing substantial clinical result in cognitive function which is assessed with Mini-Mental State Examination-Dementia Screening (MMSE-DS), Korean Version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-K), and Korean-Dementia Rating Scale (K-DRS). A 84-year-old man with mild neurocognitive disorder received Hominis placenta pharmacopuncture on GV20, CV12, and bilateral ST36 for a month. The results of neuropsychological examination showed increase in scores after treatment of Hominis placenta pharmacopuncture. Before treatment, they were 15 points for MoCA-K, and 120 points for K-DRS (7.6%), but after treatment, they elevated by 21 points for MoCA-K and 137 points for K-DRS (100%). MMSE-DS score was 28 points, unchanged before and after treatment. It did not cause any side-effect. Hominis placenta pharmacopuncture could be a safe option for treating mild neurocognitive disorder.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.181-188
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• 2005

Objectives:Hwa-byung has been studied clinically for several years and introduced as Korean Culture- Bound Syndrome. However, the definition and the diagnostic method are not yet clarified, and there has not been any sufficient comparative study on this disease entity. This study was conducted to determine the clinical symptoms and the profile of the neurocognitive functions in Hwa-byung(HB) and Major Depressive Disorder(MDD), and We wish to identify any critical factors that differentiate the disorders. Methods:A total of 102 participants were examined, including 34 participants with MDD, 34 with HB, and 34 healthy controls. The MDD and HB patients were recruited from among inpatients and outpatients at the National Medical Center for the period from May to December of 2004. As a major diagnostic tool of MDD, diagnostic reference of DSM-IV-TR was used and as HB's diagnostic tool, We used computerized neurocognitive function test. Psychiatric symptomatology was evaluated by the Beck Depression Inventory(BDI), and Symptom Checkist-90-Revision(SCL-90-R). Oneway ANOVA, Scheffe post-hoc test and Chi-Squre Tests were used for statistical analysis. Results:The participants in three groups did not differ in terms of age, sex, and education. Assessment of BDI indicated that the MDD group had significantly higher total score than the HB group. MDD and HB groups showed significantly higher total scores on the SCL-90-R in comparison to the controls. The MDD group was found to have significantly more symptoms of depression than the HB group, based on the depression subscale of the SCL-90-R. The computerized neurocognitive function test suggest several results 1) Within the memory domain, it was found that one of the two memory tests in MDD and HB groups were significantly impaired in comparison to the control group. 2) Within the attention domain, it was found that only the MDD group was significantly impaired in comparison to the control group. 3) Within the higher cortical function domain, it was found that significant impairment exist in MDD group and HB group compared to the control group; the severity of impairment was found to be more profound in the MDD group than in the HB group. Conclusion:These results suggest that both HB group and MDD group have significantly decreased neurocognitive function than the control group, and neurocognitive function of the HB group is better than that of the MDD group.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.155-169
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• 1998

Attentional dysfunction is considered as one of the core deficits in schizophrenic process. The findings, pathophysiological mechanisms, and their clinical implications of clinical and experimental neurocognitive tests for the attentional impairment in schizophrenics are reviewed. The influences of psychopathology, antipsychotic treatment, and chronic institutionalization are also included in the review. In contrast, there are only a few evidences that attentional dysfunction would be a core deficit of depressive, manic, and anxiety disorders. Some recent findings of attentional impairment in these disorders are reviewed.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.119-126
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• 2018

Objectives : The aim of this study is to investigate correlation between degree of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and neurocognitive function along with behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in Korean patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods : Participants were 115 elderly subjects diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment in this retrospective study. WMH in brain MRI were rated with standardized visual rating scales (Fazekas scales) and the subjects were divided into two groups according to Fazekas scale. Cognitive function was evaluated with Korean version of the consortium to establish a registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD-K), and BPSD was evaluated with Korean neuropsychiatric inventory (K-NPI). Independent t-test was performed to analyze the relationship between the degree of WMH and neurocognitive functions & BPSD. Results : Especially, the group with high severity of WMH showed significantly lower language fluency (p<0.05). In addition, the group with high severity of WMH showed significantly higher score in K-NPI. Conclusions : There was a significant association between WMH and neurocognitive test related with executive function. Moreover, WMH seems to affect BPSD severity. Evaluation of WMH would provide useful information in clinical settings.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.155-163
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• 2019

Objectives : The aim of this study was to compare severity, neurocognitive functions, and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) according to the degree of temporal lobe atrophy (MTA) in Korean patients with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease. Methods : Participants were 114 elderly subjects diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment in this cross-sectional study. MTA in brain MRI was rated with standardized visual rating scales (Scheltens scale) and the subjects were divided into two groups according to Scheltens scale. Severity was evaluated with Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) and Global Deterioration Scale (GDS). Neurocognitive functions was evaluated with the Korean version of Short Blessed Test (SBT-K) and the Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease assessment packet (CERAD-K). BPSD was evaluated with the Korean version of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (K-NPI). Independent t-test was performed to compare severity, neurocognitive functions, and BPSD between two groups. Results : The group with high severity of MTA showed significantly lower scores in CDR, SBT-K, MMSE-KC, modified Boston naming test, word list recognition, and word list memory (p<0.05). There were no differences in K-NPI scores between two groups. Conclusions : Severity and neurocognitive functions of dementia had significant positive association with MTA, but BPSD had no association with MTA. Evaluating MTA seems to have potential benefit in diagnosing and treating neurocognitive impairments in the elderly. Further evaluation is needed to confirm the association between certain brain structures and BPSD.