• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2022

Purpose: Recently, oxytocin has been introduced experimentally as a pharmacological treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study attempted to investigate the possibility of oxytocin as a treatment option for patients with PTSD by examining its dose, interval, and effectiveness in patients with PTSD. Methods: A systematic review was done on articles published from 1967 to 2020 using the PubMed, PsycINFO, and Cochrane databases. Our inclusion criteria were 1) subjects 18 years of age or older diagnosed with PTSD or exposed to a traumatic event that met criterion A of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) for PTSD, 2) oxytocin was administered at least once, 3) clinical trials, and 4) studies published in Korean or English. Two independent researchers reviewed 22 articles and recorded the contents. The risk of bias was evaluated to determine the quality of the reviewed article. Results: The parameters for evaluating the effectiveness of oxytocin were identified as socio-behavioral measures in 11 articles, neuronal imaging in 9, and biomarkers in 4. In 5 papers, oxytocin was administered multiple times. Socio-behavioral measures were improved in 3 out of 5 studies in which oxytocin was administered multiple times. In 2 studies in which prolonged exposure treatment and nasal oxytocin administration were combined for 10 weeks, patient symptoms were decreased compared to the control group. Conclusion: The possibility of oxytocin as an adjuvant treatment for PTSD psychotherapy was confirmed. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the long term effectiveness of administering oxytocin multiple times combined with psychotherapy.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.133-138
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• 2009

Diagnosing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is challenging for several reasons: a lack of training in trauma assessment for most clinicians, underreporting and avoidance by patients, the overlapping of symptoms, and a high comorbidity with other mental disorders. Thus, a careful evaluation and differential diagnosis are essential for the treatment and management of this population. A concept of posttraumatic reaction in people with narcissistic vulnerability, called Trauma-Associated Narcissistic Symptoms (TANS) had appeared in the literature; this has not been, however, systemically investigated. This study examines three cases of TANS that developed after traumatic events such as traffic accidents and physical assault. TANS may mimic PTSD and can show similar features; however, a careful attention to the context and meaning of symptoms can help the clinicians in differentiating TANS from PTSD. Clinicians working with trauma and compensation evaluators should be on alert for this easily overlooked condition.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.183-192
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• 2018

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a trauma-induced psychiatric disorder characterized by impaired fear extermination, hyperarousal, anxiety, depression, and amnesic symptoms that may involve the release of monoamines in the fear circuit. The present study measured several anxiety-related behavioral responses to examine the effects of berberine (BER) on symptoms of anxiety in rats after single prolonged stress (SPS) exposure, and to determine if BER reversed the dopamine (DA) dysfunction. Rats received BER (10, 20, or 30 mg/kg, intraperitoneally, once daily) for 14 days after SPS exposure. BER administration significantly increased the time spent in the open arms and reduced grooming behavior during the elevated plus maze test, and increased the time spent in the central zone and the number of central zone crossings in the open field test. BER restored neurochemical abnormalities and the SPS-induced decrease in DA tissue levels in the hippocampus and striatum. The increased DA concentration during BER treatment may partly be attributed to mRNA expression of tyrosine hydroxylase and the DA transporter in the hippocampus, while BER exerted no significant effects on vesicular monoamine transporter mRNA expression in the hippocampus of rats with PTSD. These results suggest that BER had anxiolytic-like effects on behavioral and biochemical measures associated with anxiety. These findings support a role for reduced anxiety altered DAergic transmission and reduced anxiety in rats with PTSD. Thus, BER may be a useful agent to treat or alleviate psychiatric disorders like those observed in patients with PTSD.

• 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.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.525-538
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• 2018

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a trauma-induced psychiatric disorder characterized by impaired fear extermination, hyperarousal, and anxiety that may involve the release of monoamines in the fear circuit. The reported pharmacological properties of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) include anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-atherosclerotic, and neuropsychiatric activities. However, the anxiolytic-like effects of TMP and its mechanism of action in PTSD are unclear. This study measured several anxiety-related behavioral responses to examine the effects of TMP on symptoms of anxiety in rats after single prolonged stress (SPS) exposure by reversing the serotonin (5-HT) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction. Rats were given TMP (10, 20, or 40 mg/kg, i.p.) for 14 days after SPS exposure. Administration of TMP significantly reduced grooming behavior, increased the time spent and number of visits to the open arm in the elevated plus maze test, and significantly increased the number of central zone crossings in the open field test. TMP administration significantly reduced the freezing response to contextual fear conditioning and significantly restored the neurochemical abnormalities and the SPS-induced decrease in 5-HT tissue levels in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. The increased 5-HT concentration during TMP treatment might be partially attribute to the tryptophan and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid mRNA level expression in the hippocampus of rats with PTSD. These findings support a role for reducing the altered serotonergic transmission in rats with PTSD. TMP simultaneously attenuated the HPA axis dysfunction. Therefore, TMP may be useful for developing an agent for treating psychiatric disorders, such those observed in patients with PTSD.

• Stress
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.319-326
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• 2018

Background: This study investigated whether pre- and peri-disaster experiences influence on PostTraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and whether post-disaster stress by life changes have impact on PTSD after controlling pre- and peri-disaster factors. Methods: Data came from a sample of 1,182 respondents who experienced natural disasters (flood and typhoon) in South Korea from 2012 to 2015. The SPSS Win 22.0 program was used for descriptive analysis, t-test, Chi-square test, Pearson's correlation and logistic regression analysis. Results: The results indicated that 24.3% of the disaster victims were in PTSD risk group. Compared with non-PTSD, PTSD risk group showed lower interpersonal trust and satisfaction, higher depression and anxiety, and lower subjective well-being. The results of hierarchical logistc regression revealed that all pre-, peri-, and post-disaster factors increased the probability of developing PTSD, except for relocation of residence. Moreover, a primary post-disaster predictor of PTSD was economic distress after controlling for pre- and peri-disaster. Conclusions: This study tested relative contributions of post-disaster factors on PTSD.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.83-91
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify relationships of resilience, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD), and quality of life of breast cancer patients. The findings from this study would provide baseline data needed for nursing intervention. Methods: A sample of 129 breast cancer patients was recruited from three hospitals in J and C cities in Korea. The survey was conducted with participants by utilizing self-reported questionnaires. Results: Quality of life showed statistically significant differences on religion (t=2.11, p=.033) and hobby (t=2.79, p=.006). Resilience and PTSD had a negative correlation (r=-.22, p=.010). Resilience and quality of life of the participants had a positive correlation (r=.58, p<.001), whereas PTSD and quality of life had a negative correlation (r=-.45, p<.001). Significant predictors of quality of life were resilience and PTSD. These variables explained 44.9% of the variance in quality of life. Conclusion: Findings indicate that as resilience of breast cancer patients rose higher and PTSD got lower, their quality of life increased. Based on these results, nursing interventions directed towards improving resilience and relieving PTSD is proposed.

• Industry Promotion Research
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.77-83
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• 2022

This study was conducted with the purpose of helping middle-aged women who experienced insecure attachment during personal growth experience positive changes by re-illuminating their own growth process. During this study period, 14 in-depth interviews were conducted from August 2020 to September 2021, and the interview contents were based on the narrative research methodology to examine the meaning of participants' experiences regarding unstable attachment and post-traumatic growth in existential contexts. The text was described in terms of, relational context, life context, etc. As a result of the study, three participants who experienced unstable attachment and post-traumatic growth were selected and the following conclusions were drawn. First, the meaning in the existential context is the desire for recognition, perfectionism, unstable family environment, how to cope with stress, the courage to face the wounds, self-acceptance and affirmation, gratitude to the people around you, and the hope of life is the meaning in the participant experience. was interpreted as Second, the meaning in the relational context was interpreted as experiences with parents, husbands, children, interpersonal relationships, and religion. Third, the meaning in the life context is the lack of care, the reproduction of control, the responsibility as the eldest daughter, the precious family, and the meaning and value of life is the present experience in which the various experiences with the parents in the past affect the lives of the current participants. interpreted in Through the above research results, this study aims to describe the experiences of insecure attachment during childhood and the post-traumatic growth process of participants using a narrative technique, and to suggest positive alternatives to their lives.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.39-47
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• 2022

Objective : This study investigated brain functional connectivity in male firefighters who showed subclinical post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Methods : We compared the data of 17 firefighters who were not diagnosed with PTSD and 18 healthy controls who had no trauma exposure. The following instruments were applied to assess psychiatric symptoms: Korean version of the Post-traumatic stress disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5-K), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). For all subjects, functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed, and functional connectivity was compared between the two groups (family-wise error-corrected p<0.05). Additionally, correlations between psychiatric symptoms and functional connectivity were explored. Results : The following connectivity was higher than that of healthy controls: 1) the central opercular cortex-superior temporal gyrus, 2) planum polare-parahippocampal gyrus, 3) angular gyrus-amygdala, and 4) temporal fusiform cortex-parahippocampal gyrus. The functional connectivity of 1) the lateral occipital cortex-inferior temporal gyrus, 2) superior parietal lobule-caudate, and 3) middle temporal gyrus-thalamus were lower in firefighters. In firefighters, the connectivity of the planum polare-parahippocampal gyrus showed a negative correlation with the severity of arousal symptoms (rho=-0.586, p=0.013). The connectivity of the middle temporal gyrus-thalamus showed a positive correlation with the severity of intrusion (rho=0.552, p=0.022) and arousal symptoms (rho=0.619, p=0.008). The connectivity of the temporal fusiform cortex-parahippocampal gyrus was negatively correlated with intrusion (rho=-0.491, p=0.045) and arousal (rho=-0.579, p=0.015). Conclusion : Our results indicate that the brain functional connectivity is associated with occupational trauma exposure in firefighters without PTSD. Therefore, this study provides evidence that close monitoring and early intervention are important for firefighters with traumatic experience even at a subthreshold level.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.37-42
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• 2015

Background: This study investigates the impact of the cervical musculoskeletal intervention on post-traumatic stress disorder patient's cervical pain levels and depression factor. Methods: Thrty neck pain patients diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder were enrolled. Neck exercise training using a sling system was applied to the experimental group and self-neck movement exercise, modification of the McKenzie exercise, was applied to the control group. Both groups were checked every week whether they performed or not. Both groups performed their exercise for 35 minutes for a time and 3 times per week. Total period of the intervention was 6 weeks. To compare the effects of interventions, threshold of cervical tenderness and depression level were measured before and after the each intervention and also measured at follow-up. Results: Painthreshold of left trapezius showed a significant difference between two groups at three points. It increased 19.71% in the experimental group after the intervention compared to before the intervention. At follow-up it also increased 20.06% in the experimental group. Pain threshold of right trapezius showed a significant difference at three points. It increased 18.35% in the experimental group after the intervention compared to before the intervention. At follow-up it also increased 15.93% in the experimental group. According to the result interaction between groups and measurement time in both side of trapezius was valid. Depression level showed significant difference in the experimental group between three points. It decreased 18.07% after the intervention compared to before the intervention and decreased 15.21% at follow-up. According to the result interaction between groups and measurement time in depression level was valid. Conclusions: This study has important implications as the therapeutic strategy, high potent of improving symptoms, shows effect to a subject who has psychological problem such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).