• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.345-378
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• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the recent trends of clinical research on acupuncture using electroencephalogram (EEG) as the outcome measurement. Methods: Nine domestic and foreign databases were searched to collect related studies published up to November 3, 2021. The participants, intervention, outcomes, results of the included studies were extracted and analyzed. Results: A total of 18 studies were selected. Neurological diseases and mental disorders were included in most studies, and vascular dementia were most frequently investigated. Electroacupuncture and body acupuncture intervention were most frequently conducted in seven studies. The most commonly used outcomes using EEG was EEG abnormality. However, in most studies there was accurate description of the EEG measurement. Most studies showed significant difference in EEG outcomes after intervention. The quality of included studies was poor. Conclusions: EEG as diagnostic markers and outcome measurements is increasingly studied. Standardized EEG measurement and the consistent EEG finding for specific diseases are needed to perform the future rigorous studies on EEG as diagnostic and outcome tools.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.301-314
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to provide clinical evidence to support the use of herbal medicine combined with western medicine for BPSD. Methods: Studies were identified by searching CNKI, Pubmed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, SCIENCEON, RISS, KMbase, KISS, OASIS. Literature searches of Chinese, English, and Korean databases were performed. Two authors independently extracted the data and evaluated the quality of each study. Results: The literature search identified 203 articles. Of these, 7 were selected for the analysis. The risk of bias in most studies was unclear. The most frequently used diagnostic tools were the NINCDS-ADRDA and DSM-IV. The most commonly used results indicator was NPI. In 6 of the 7 papers, combination treatment (herbal & Western medicine) was statistically significantly more effective than single treatment (Western medicine alone) for BPSD. No significant adverse events were reported. Conclusions: Herbal medicine in combination with Western medicine is more effective for treating BPSD than Western medicine alone. However, the quality of the studies used in this study was uncertain and the sample size was too small. Based on the findings of this study, more high-quality clinical trials are needed to confirm the efficacy of combination treatment.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.141-150
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• 2023

Objectives: This study aimed to comprehend the characteristics of Korean medicine patterns in relation to varying degrees of cognitive impairment in an elderly population. Methods: The dataset included 127 elderly individuals with cognitive impairment obtained from three Korean medicine hospitals between 2018 and 2021. The participants were categorized into two groups based on Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB) scores: those with questionable impairment (QI) and those with very mild dementia (VMD). A diagnostic framework for Korean medicine patterns encompassing Qi deficiency, Yin deficiency, Phlegm dampness, and Heat-fire was employed. Liver blood markers, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and the AST/ALT ratio, were also analyzed. Results: The scores of the cognitive assessment tools (MoCA-K, MMSE-DS, and K-IADL) of the QI group significantly differed from those of the VMD group. CDR-SB exhibited a positive correlation with the scores of each pattern of Qi deficiency, Yin deficiency, Phlegm dampness, and Heat-fire, whereas ALT and AST values displayed negative correlations. Binomial logistic analysis, controlling for potential confounders, such as age, education years, body mass index, the presence of chronic disease, and the presence of medication, verified that the VMD group showed higher pattern scores and lower ALT and AST values than the QI group. Conclusions: Increases in pattern scores along with decreased AST and ALT levels might be indicative of more severe cognitive impairment.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.201-210
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• 2016

Delirium is a common symptom in patients with terminal cancer. The prevalence increases in the dying phase. Delirium causes negative effects on quality of life for both patients and their families, and is associated with higher mortality. However, some studies reported that it tends to remain unrecognized in palliative care setting. That may be related with difficulties to distinguish the symptom from others with overlapping characteristics such as depression and dementia, and a lack of knowledge regarding assessment and diagnostic tools. We suggest that accurate recognition with validated tools and early diagnosis of the symptom should be highly prioritized in delirium management in palliative care setting. After diagnosing delirium, it is important to identify and address reversible precipitants such as medication, dehydration, and infection. Non-pharmacological interventions including comfortable environment for the patient and family education are also essential in the management strategy. If such interventions prove ineffective or insufficient to control hyperactive symptoms, pharmacologic interventions with antipsychotics and benzodiazepine can be considered. Until now, low levels of haloperidol remains the standard treatment despite a lack of evidence. Atypical antipsychotics such as olanzapine, quetiapine and risperidone reportedly have similar efficacy with a stronger sedating property and less adverse effect compared to haloperidol. Currently, delirium medications that can be used in palliative care setting require more clinical trials, and thus, clinical guidelines are not sufficiently available. We suggest that it is warranted to develop clinical guidelines based on well-designed clinical studies for palliative care patients.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.469-476
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• 2017

Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and naming tests have been used clinically as screening and diagnostic tools for mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Researches in other countries have reported that residential areas would affect one's cognitive abilities. In Korean, however, there was no systematic studies on geographical influences to cognitive ability among a sample of urban/rural residents. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of urban/rural locality of residence on cognitive tests in normal elderly Korean. Residents aged 65 years and older (N=108) were administered the K-MMSE, confrontation/generative naming tests, and medical/socio-demographic interview. When comparing the total number of correct responses between urban residents and rural residents, the performances of rural group were significantly worse than those of the urban group in K-MMSE. Based on the results, our finding suggests that a factor of residential locality should be considered to examine the function and explain the cognitive decline in rural community-dwelling elders.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.574-585
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• 2023

Sarcopenia is a leading cause of increased medical and nursing care costs among the elderly. In Korea, preventive measures for sarcopenia are mostly targeted toward the general elderly population without specific diseases. However, it is also necessary to implement measures for elderly individuals living in nursing homes and hospitals, where the prevalence of sarcopenia is high. Currently, computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging are considered standard diagnostic tools. However, their complexity and time-consuming nature make them unsuitable for clinical use. The exact pathophysiological mechanisms of sarcopenia are unclear, as they involve various molecular biological pathways, including decreased exercise, protein and nutrient intake, changes in testosterone and growth hormone, and inflammation. Sarcopenia symptoms can lead to several diseases, such as osteoporosis, fractures, dementia, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Vitamin B deficiency is a significant factor in sarcopenia induction, with B vitamins being directly involved in energy and protein metabolism and nerve function. Vitamin B deficiency can lead to neuromuscular and neurogenic disorders, which often overlap with sarcopenia. Suboptimal intake of B vitamins, malabsorption, and anorexia are common among the elderly. This study aims to provide information on the role of water-soluble B vitamins in preventing and controlling muscle mass loss and deterioration among the elderly with sarcopenia. In addition, we discuss the potential of myokines from the B vitamin family in modulating sarcopenia.