• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.56-59
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• 1992

The zinc, copper and chromium contents in the hair in 103 healthy Korean and 126 Korean with schizophrenic(aged 20 to 59 years in Yanbian district)by atomic absorbtion spectrometer(Type WFZ-II). Research Period : from May 1985 to September 1986. The zinc, copper and chromium contents in the schizophrenic hair are significantly lower than those of healthy persons, respectively. The standard rates of discriminant from healthy persons and the patients by method of (Department of Pathophysiology, Yanbian Medical Colloge ; Yanbian Neuropsychosis Hospital, Yanji Jilin Prov, P.R. China) Fisher discrominant analysis are 72.9% and 84.4%, respectively. The rates of the contribution of the target for the functional equation of zinc, copper chromium are 12.3%, 5.9% and 81.8%, respectively. Zinc contents in hair of male patients are significantly higher than those of female patients ; copper contents in hair of the female are sign

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.198-205
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• 2000

Objectives : Risperidone and clozapine belong to a new generation of antipsychotics that are reportedly more effective and better tolerated than conventional neuroleptics. However, each of these agents costs far more per unit than conventional neuroleptics. The purpose of our retrospective study was to ascertain the total cost and effectiveness of treatment before and after administration of risperidone and clozapine in "revolving door" schizophrenia patients. Method : Data collected on revolving door schizophrenics for 2 years before clozapine and risperidone treatment and for at least 2 years after clozapine and risperidone treatment. Direct cost of inpatient and outpatient treatment was measured. Effectiveness was scaled as "years of mild disability gained". Result : Both risperidone and cloazpine result in higher costs and additional benefits to patients, for example, increased mild disability, reduced number of relapse, and reduced hospital length-of-stay. An ICER of risperidone was less than Rc and ICER of clozapine was greater than Rc. According to decision-analytic this model, risperidone had favorable cost-effectiveness ratios relative to clozapine. Conclusion : We have assumed that risperidone is more cost-effective than clozapine.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.234-236
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• 1997

Though initial report from Japan showed positive association of schizophrenia with dinucleotide repeat polymorphism in the NT-3 gene, subsequent studies showed mixed results. Therefore we conducted a replication study with Korean schizophrenics and matched controls who share similar ethnic background with Japanese population. The frequency of allele of dinucleotide repeat at 147 base pairs in the NT-3 gene was slightly increased, however, failed to reach statistical significance(${\chi}^2$=1.884, df=1, p<0.170) between the two groups. These findings do not support an association of NT-3 gene polymorphism with schizophrenia in Korean sample.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.27-32
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• 1982

To investigate the relationship between platelet monoamine oxidase activity and serum levels of testosterone and estradiol in schizophrenic patient, 78 chronic patients were compared with 135 normal controls. 1) The monoamine oxidase activity of chronic schizophrenic group was lower than normal group. 2) In normal group, there was no sex difference in monoamine oxidase activity. But in chronic schizophrenic group, the monoamine oxidase activity in male was lower than female. 3) In male schizophrenic group, the serum estradiol level was lower than normal group. 4) In female schizophrenic group, the serum testosterone level was lower than normal group. The significances of relationship between platelet monoamine oxidase activity and sex hormones are discussed.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.112-119
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• 2002

Object:This study was to investigate the difference of speech perception ability in schizophrenic patients, and depression patients in order to explore trait-dependent speech perception ability of each disorder. Methods:The speech perception ability was assessed with masked speech tracking test(MST) in schizophrenic patients(N=31), depression patients(N=25), and normal controls(N=21). The continuous performance test(CPT) and sentence repetition test(SRT) were also used for assessment of attention and working memory. Results:The schizophrenic patients showed significant impaired MST performance, compared with depressive patients and normal controls. The performances of CPT and SRT were also more impaired in schizophrenic patients. The difference of MST performances between two patient group was cancelled out after consideration of differences in CPT & SRT performances. Conclusions:These results imply that schizophrenic patients have the impaired speech perception ability compared with depressive patients and normal controls. But speech perception ability was significantly influenced with CPT and SRT. For evaluation of pure speech perception ability, the more elaborate controlled study that excluded factors such as attention, working memory and intelligence is needed.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.257-265
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• 1995

The object of this study is to apply a chaotic signal analysis method to the EEG research, especially in the aspect of neuropsychiatry, and to get some inspection of the chaotic phenomena according to the brain sites and subjects. We have acquired 21 channel EEG data and one EOG according to the international 10-20 system and calculated the correlation dimension. The subject groups are schizophrenics, bipolar disorder, major depression and normal control. They were all awoke and eye-closed. We have found no distinctive features from our experiments except temporal regions have slightly higher correlation dimension. There is also no specific distinctions between groups. We conjecture that these results are mainly because the subjects were not well controlled. EEG dimension may change in accordance with to the age, sex, medication and the time data were selected to calculate. We have also considered some conditions for a better and more objective research of chaotic analysis to EEG research. Better conditioning and standardizing the calculation of correlation dimension is necessary for the application of the chaotic analysis to neuropsychiatry.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.207-215
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• 2005

Objectives:This study was to compare verbal memory ability among patients with schizophrenia, bipolar manic patients and unipolar depressive patients, and to understand their charicteristics of memory process. Methods:All subjects were hospitalized patients and had been interviewed by using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV(SCID). Schizophrenic patients(N=40), bipolar manic patients(N=17), and unipolar depressive patients(N=20) were assessed with K-AVLT for verbal memory and with K-WAIS for verbal IQ. Three groups were compared regarding total immediate recall, delayed recall, delayed recognition, learning curve, memory retention, and retrieval efficiency under controlled verbal IQ. Multiple regression analysis was performed to find which clinical factors have an influence on verbal memory ability. Results:In MANCOVA, differences of verbal memory test scores among the groups were statistically significant(F=1.800, p<.05). In post hoc analysis, Patients with schizophrenia and bipolar mania showed poorer performance in immediate recall, delayed recall, delayed recognition, retrieval efficiency than unipolar depres- sive patients. And schizophrenics performed poorly in delayed recall, delayed recognition, retrieval efficiency than nonpsychotic affective disorder group, but no difference in total immediate recall, delayed recall, delayed recognition, retrieval efficiency between the schizophrenic group and the psychotic affective group. Conclusions:These results partially confirm previous reports of verbal memory ability among major psychiatric disorders. Our results showed that psychotic symptoms were related with verbal memory, and longer duration of illness was related with poorer performance in schizophrenia and unipolar depression.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.147-152
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• 2001

Objective : It has been thought that estrogen has neuroleptic like effect in women schizophrenic patients. This study aimed to investigate neuroleptic side-effects severity in women with schizophrenia and to investigate their putative association with variations in sex steroids over menstrual cycle. Based on the estrogen theory, The author hypothesized that parkinsonian side-effects would be exacerbated when estrogen levels were high. Method : 26 schizophrenic women were assessed using the ESRS(Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale) and estrogen analysis. Tests were conducted twice, in the mid luteal and mid follicular phase. Result : It was hypothesized that high level of estrogen would lead to an exacerbation of parkinsonian side-effects but the results indicated that parkinsonian side effects decreased overall when estrogen levels were high. This effects were more marked for the group taking typical neuroleptics than those taking atypical neuroleptics. Conclusion : The results of this study suggest that estrogen and progesteron may reduce the severity of neuroleptic induced extrapyramidal side effects over menstrual cycle in women with schizophrenia. It was concluded that estrogen has different effects on dopamine dynamics in the mesolimbic and mesostriatal pathways according to estrogen, progesteron, catecol estrogen, prolactine.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.162-169
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• 1996

An association study with korean schizophrenic patients(N=75) and normal controls(N=87) was performed to find the relationship between D6S274 polymorphism and schizophrenia using polymerase chain reaction. Nine different alleles of a dinucleotide polymorphism on D6S273 locus were observed in both group. When we compared the frequencies of alleles between schizophrenics and normal controls, there was no significant difference between two groups. To increase homogeneity of schizophrenic group, we divided schizophrenic group by clinical phenotypes such as DSM-IV diagnostic subtype, family history, negative and positive symptoms(PANSS), soft neurologic signs(NES-K). Then we compared the frequencies of alleles among subgroups of clinical phenotypes. there was only significant difference between two subgroups on soft neurologic signs(p<0.05). Although our findings fail to provide on evidence of association between schizophrenia and D6S274 locus, follow-up investigation of this locus may be needed in homogeneous subtypes of schizophrenia and schizophrenic pedigrees.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.262-268
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• 1996

It has been known that clozapine is more selective mesolimbic dopamin $D_2$ receptor antagonist and related to 5-HT receptor. In this study, we wxamined the plasma homovanillic acid(HVA), serotonin(5-HT), and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid(5-HIM) levels in refractory schizophrenics during clozapine treatment. And we assessed the effects of clozapine on these plasma monoamine metabolites and their association with psychopathology and treatment response. Eight refractory schizophrenic patients(DSM-IV) have entered the study for 3 months during clozapine treatment. Patients were admitted to the inpatient sevice and withdrawn from all neuroleptics for 7-14 days but exceptionally occasional doses of lorazepam was given if needed for behavioral control. The dose of clozapine was titrated as tolerated to 800mg/day. The plasma HVA. 5-HIM and 5-HT levels were measured before treatment and following 2nd week, 4th week, 8th week, and 12th during treatment. Psychopathology was assessed with Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and Positive and Negative Synrome Scale(PANSS) before and during clozapine treatment. During clozapine treatment, no statistically significant changes were found in plasma HVA, 5-HIM, 5-HT levels, and HVA/5-HIM ratio between baseline and following 2nd week, 4th week, 8th week, 12th week. However, the change in plasma 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio from baseline to 4th week was statistically significant. Generally, changes of plasma HVA, 5-HIAA, 5-HT levels and HVA/5-HIAA ratio were not associated with psychopathology but 5-HIAA was associated with in positive symptoms and general psychopathology of PANSS. These results suggest that clozapine has been found to have relatively weak dopaminergic blokade and stronger serotonergic antagonism.