• 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.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.111-116
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• 2005

Objectives: Although many reports have been written on seasonal variations in mood and behavior in foreign countries, few reports have dealt with Korean adolescents, except medical students. The goal of this study was to estimate the frequency of seasonal variations in mood and behavior among Korean high school students. Methods: A total of 656 high school students living in southeastern Seoul participated in this study. The subjects were investigated with the Korean translated version of the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ), and their responses were evaluated for seasonal patterns in mood and behavior change according to Kasper's criteria to make SAD (seasonal affective disorder) or SSAD (subclinical seasonal affective disorder) diagnosis. Results: A total of 565 subjects completed the questionnaire and the responses (M：F=324：241) were collected and used for analysis. The mean age was 16.73 (SD=0.65) years, and mean global seasonality score 5.88 (SD=4.72). Of the respondents, 413 (73.1%) reported problems related with seasonal changes. Total prevalence rates were 13.6% for SAD, 10.8% for S-SAD. The estimated frequencies were 5.1% for summer SAD, 3.2% for summer S-SAD, 0.5% for winter SAD and 1.1% for winter S-SAD. The prevalence rate of summer SAD or S-SAD was higher than winter SAD or S-SAD. Conclusion: The subjects showed a higher prevalence rate of summer type than winter type in SAD or S-SAD. These results were similar to those of other studies carried out in East Asian countries. However, the unpleasant feelings resulting from high temperature and humidity in summer rather than depression may have influenced the results. Therefore, it is necessary to make new SAD criteria of the SPAQ suitable for East Asian countries.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.257-265
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to establish the appropriate guidelines in the sedation techniques and to organize the continuing education programs for the sedation in future under the direction of Committee on Sedation, Education and Research under the Korean Academy of Pediatric Dentistry(KAPD). The surveys on the sedation technique were performed on 111 organizations which practices the sedation and responded to the survey via online and e-mail by February 2014. The collected survey were analyzed. The purpose of sedation was mainly to manage the children's behavior and its uses were primarily on 3~4 years old children. The most frequent duration of treatment was 1~2 hours to treat both maxillary and mandible. The preferred dosages of sedative drugs were chloral hydrate(CH) 50~70 mg/kg, hydorxyzine(Hx) 1~2 mg/kg, and intramuscular midazolam(Mida IM) 0.1~0.2 mg/kg. The preferred combination of the sedative drugs were CH + Hx + $N_2O/O_2$(67.6%), CH + Hx + Mida submucosal administration (SM) + $N_2O/O_2$(29.7%), and Mida IM + $N_2O/O_2$(23.4%). The administration of additional sedatives was carried out at 48%, mainly using Midazolam. 87.5% of the respondents experienced the adverse effects of the sedation such as vomiting/retching, agitation during recovery, subclinical respiratory depression, staggering, and etc. Among them, only 20% periodically retrain the emergency management protocol. About the discharge criteria for patients after the sedation, the respondents either showed a lack of clear criteria or did not follow the recommended discharge criteria. 86% of the respondents expressed the interests in taking a course on the sedation and they wanted to learn mostly about the sedation-related emergency management, the safe dosage of the sedative drugs, and etc. The use of sedation in pediatric dentistry must be consider a patient's safety as top priority and each dentist must show the evidence of sound practices for the prevention of any possible medical errors. Therefore, KAPD must establish the proper sedation guidelines and it needs to provide the systematic technical training program of sedation-related emergency management for pediatric dentists.