• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.158-164
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• 2009

Trichotillomania is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by repetitive pulling out of one's hair. We present a trichotillomania case study illustrating the effectiveness of habit reversal training, which has recently been found, in western countries, to be a very effective cognitive behavioral treatment. The refractory patient in our study had previously received 1 year of drug treatment and psychiatric consultation for the disorder. We administered 10 habit reversal training sessions, which was followed by an obvious improvement in the patient's trichotillomania symptoms. Our observations indicate that habit reversal training might be effective in the treatment of trichotillomania.

• Psychiatry investigation
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• 제15권12호
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• pp.1130-1134
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• 2018

Objective Trichotillomania is a relatively common illness whose neurobiology is poorly understood. One treatment for adult trichotillomania, n-acetyl cysteine (NAC), has antioxidative properties, as well as effects on central glutamatergic transmission. Preclinical models suggest that excessive oxidative stress may be involved in its pathophysiology. Methods Adults with trichotillomania provided a blood sample for analysis of compounds that may be influenced by oxidative stress [glutathione, angiotensin II, ferritin, iron, glucose, insulin and insulin growth factor 1 (IGF1), and hepcidin]. Participants were examined on symptom severity, disability, and impulsivity. The number of participants with out-of-reference range oxidative stress measures were compared against the null distribution. Correlations between oxidative stress markers and clinical measures were examined. Results Of 14 participants (mean age 31.2 years; 92.9% female), 35.7% (n=5) had total glutathione levels below the reference range (p=0.041). Other oxidative stress measures did not have significant proportions outside the reference ranges. Lower levels of glutathione correlated significantly with higher motor impulsiveness (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale sub-score) (r=0.97, p=0.001). Conclusion A third of patients with trichotillomania had low levels of glutathione, and lower levels of glutathione correlated significantly with higher motor impulsiveness. Because NAC is a precursor for cysteine, and cysteine is a rate limiting step for glutathione production, these results may shed light on the mechanisms through which NAC can have beneficial effects for impulsive symptoms. Confirmation of these results requires a suitable larger follow-up study, including an internal normative control group.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.115-121
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• 2009

Trichotillomania (TTM) is a disorder characterized by repetitive hair pulling, frequently from the scalp and/or eyebrows, leading to noticeable hair loss and functional impairment. TTM remains a poorly understood and inadequately treated disorder despite increased recognition of its prevalence. We review available neuroimaging studies conducted in patients with TTM, covering structural and functional neuroimaging in turn. Data from patients' structural and functional neuroimaging results enabled us to identify the neural circuitry involved in the manifestation of hair pulling. Finally, we highlighted the future importance of neuroimaging studies in children and adolescents with TTM.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.43-46
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• 2004

Two cases of trichobezoar with unusual presentation in female children are described. The first case is a 7-year-old female with a 3-day history of abdominal pain, obstipation, and emesis. She developed intestinal obstruction and showed double bezoars in the stomach and intestine respectively. She had been in a habit of biting or sucking hairs before sleeping from infancy until 5 years of age. The other patient is a 6-year-old girl referred for an epigastric mass, emotional disturbance and trichotillomania. In spite of the psychological treatment, 4 laparotomies were necessary due to repeated recurrences.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.127-130
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• 2013

Rapunzel syndrome refers to a very rare condition in which swallowed hair forms a gastric trichobezoar that has a long tail extending into the small bowel. We describe a case of Rapunzel syndrome in an 8-year-old girl who presented with abdominal mass, epigastric pain and vomiting. Abdominal computed tomography scan showed a markedly dilated stomach filled with coarse heterogeneous materials. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a huge hairy ball with a tail extending through the pylorus. We performed a surgical laparotomy and successfully removed a huge trichobezoar with a long tail extending into the middle portion of jejunum. Psychiatric consultation with review showed her past history of trichotillomania and trichophagia 4 years ago. But her parents denied further psychiatric therapy and she was lost to the follow-up. Rapunzel syndrome should be included in the differential diagnosis in children with chronic abdominal pain and trichophagia.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• 제16권1호
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• pp.43-48
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• 2010

Gastric trichobezoars are commonly observed in young women with trichotillomania and trichophagia. We encountered an 8-year-old girl who had trichotillomania and trichophagia with abdominal pain and a mass, which was diagnosed as a large gastric trichobezoar. On physical examination, a huge, firm nontender mobile mass was palpated in her epigastrium. An upper gastrointestinal series and abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan showed a large mass in the stomach. Endoscopic removal was tried but failed. Laparoscopic removal was therefore performed. The trichobezoar was successfully retrieved through a gastrotomy and removed through an extended umbilical trocar incision. This case demonstrates that laparoscopic removal of large gastric trichobezoars is feasible and safe without a large abdominal incision.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제48권4호
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• pp.433-437
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• 2005

위석은 비교적 흔하지 않은 질환이지만, 진단을 못할 경우 위궤양과 출혈, 장천공, 장중첩증, 장폐쇄, 복막염 등의 심각한 합병증을 동반할 수 있는 만성적 복통의 한 원인이며, 모발석 환아의 대부분은 발모벽과 식모증의 과거력이 있다. 저자들은 내원 4년 전까지 자기 머리카락을 뽑아서 먹는 습관이 있었고, 이후 간헐적 복통과 오심, 구토를 일으킨 11세 여아에서 모발석을 경험하였기에 문헌 고찰과 함께 보고하는 바이다.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제52권10호
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• pp.1167-1170
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• 2009

털위석은 위장관에 털이 축적되어 생기며, 발모광이나 다른 정신적인 문제나 신경학적인 문제가 있는 환자들에게서 주로 발생한다. 털위석은 복통, 식욕부진, 구토 같은 위장관 폐쇄의 증상들로 나타난다. 국내외에서 위석의 보고는 식물위석에 대한 것이 대부분이며, 털위석이 소아에게서 보고된 경우는 많지 않다. 9세 여아가 복부 불쾌감과 복부 종괴로 내원하였다. 환아는 5년 전부터 머리카락을 주어먹는 버릇이 있었고 부모로부터 오빠에 대한 차별적인 대우를 받는다고 생각하였으며 학교에서 성적은 뒤처지는 편이지만 그 외 특별한 병력은 없었다. 복부 컴퓨터단층촬영술을 시행하여 위 안에 거대한 털위석을 확인하였으며, 위절개술을 시행하여 털위석을 제거하였다. 그 후 정신과적인 상담과 치료를 권유하였으나 보호자의 거부로 중단되었다. 이에 저자들은 정신적인 문제가 수반된 환아가 복부 증상으로 내원시 털위석의 유무에 대한 접근과 진단의 중요성을 강조하는 바이다.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• 제8권1호
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• pp.133-138
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• 1997

Prader-Willi 증후군(Prader-Willi Syndrome, PWS)은 $50{\sim}-70%$ 정도의 환자에서 염색체 15번에 이상이 있음이 보고된 유전적인 질환으로서, 그 특징적인 임상양상은 심한 근긴장의 저하(hypotonia), 반사소실(areflexia), 섭식의 곤란(feeding difficulty), 저체온증(hypothermia), 성기왜소증(microgenitalia), 음낭저형성증(hypoplastic scrotum), 대식증(polyphagia), 포만감의 감소와 비만, 정신운동발달의 지연, 저성선기능증(hypogonadism) 및 안면과 척추의 기형 등이다. 또한 행동상의 여러 문제들이 동반되는데 분노발작, 피부를 심하게 뜯거나 발모광, 과도한 식욕과 관련된 음식 도벽증이 나타나므로 정신과적 치료가 필요하다. 본 증례는 14세된 PWS환자로서 비만과 대식증, 도벽증, 학업부진 및 생활부적응 문제 등으로 2주간의 입원과 약 1년간의 추적기간 동안 약물요법(fluoxetine 투여)과 행동요법, 그리고 가족요법을 받아 왔다. 장기간의 Fluoxetine투여를 통하여 비만과 식욕의 조절에는 효과가 만족스럽지 않았으나 우울감과 감정문제, 자살사고 및 행동문제들은 호전되었다.