• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• 제31권1호
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• pp.26-32
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• 2020

With the advancement in modern information technology, virtual reality (VR) is being increasingly used for the diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of mental disorders. Recently, a VR-based cognitive behavioral therapy for social phobia has been recognized as a new medical technology in South Korea. This might lead to an increase in the use of VR in the field of psychiatry. The present review provides an overview of the status of VR therapies in various psychiatric conditions such as anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, psychosis, addiction, and eating disorder. Besides, it summarizes the role of VR therapy in the management of disorders associated with child and adolescence psychiatry as well as various other clinical applications. Additionally, we discuss the merits and limitations of VR therapy, which might serve as a useful reference for researchers. In the current environment wherein novel medical models consisting of a combination of digital devices and medicine are being developed; understanding new technologies such as VR could open new doors to mental health treatments.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제61권4호
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• pp.427-433
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• 2018

Obsessive compulsive disorder is a debilitating condition characterized by recurrent obsessive thoughts and compulsive reactions. A great portion of the obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) patients are managed successfully with psychiatric treatment such as selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor and cognitive behavioral psychotherapy, but more than 10% of patients are remained as non-responder who needs neurosurgical treatments. These patients are potential candidates for the neurosurgical management. There had been various kind of operation, lesioning such as leucotomy or cingulotomy or capsulotomy or limbic leucotomy, and with advent of stereotaxic approach and technical advances, deep brain stimulation was more chosen by neurosurgeon due to its characteristic of reversibility and adjustability. Gamma knife radiosurgery are also applied to make lesion targeting based on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, but the complication of adverse radiation effect is not predictable. In the neurosurgical field, MR guided focused ultrasound has advantage of less invasiveness, real-time monitored procedure which is now growing to attempt to apply for various brain disorder. In this review, the neurosurgical treatment modalities for the treatment of OCD will be briefly reviewed and the current state of MR guided focused ultrasound for OCD will be suggested.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.259-262
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• 2005

Facial blushing is a personally disabling condition, which can result in emotional disturbance and be an impediment to social life. Although numerous treatment options exist, including beta blocker, cognitive behavioral therapy and sympathetic neurolysis, no generally accepted form of treatment has been established. Herein, we report two cases of successful reduction of facial blushing following the administration of beta blocker and a minor tranquillizing antianxiety drug.

• 대한불안의학회지
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• 제2권1호
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• pp.17-21
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• 2006

SSRIs have been considered as the first line of treatment for patients with panic disorder since 1990s along with cognitive behavioral treatments. High potency benzodiazepines (e.g. alprazolam, clonazepam) have had advantages in anti-panic effects. However, these drugs have limitations of treating panic disorder because of their dependency, tolerance and withdrawal. Serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) such as venlafaxine were introduced as antidepressants since 1990s. Recently, it is confirmed that SNRIs have the remarkable anti-panic effects although some concerns about its cost, tolerance, withdrawal, side effects such as dry mouth, constipation, and hypertension have emerged. In this regard, further study is required to confirm the efficacy of long term treatment of panic disorder. Despite these concerns, venla-faxine extended-release is an effective treatment in patients with panic disorder.

• 동의신경정신과학회지
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.81-93
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• 2021

Objectives: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is condition of cognitive decline shown in transition from normal aging to dementia. Hominis placenta pharmacopuncture (HPP) is a treatment that combines effects of medication and acupuncture by injecting Hominis placenta into acupoints. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of HPP for MCI. Methods: This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-center clinical trial. Eligible patients were randomly allocated to either the HPP group or the placebo group. HPP or saline as placebo was administered to participants for eight weeks. Changes in symptoms were observed. The primary outcome was difference in mean change of Korean Version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-K) score between the HPP group and the placebo group. Cognitive function, overall status of mood and sleep, and quality of life (QoL) were also assessed. Safety assessment and economic analysis were then conducted. Results: Thirty participants were enrolled. One participant in the placebo group dropped out. The score of MoCA-K increased after treatment. Its mean change was smaller in the HPP group than in the control group. HPP ameliorated Global Deterioration Scale and Korean Dementia Rating Scale subtests for attention, organization, and memory compared to the placebo. However, none of them was significantly different between the two groups. Mood, sleep, and QoL all improved more in the HPP group than in the placebo group, although differences between the two groups were not statistically significant. There was no adverse event probably related to the drug. HPP treatment needed KRW 345,000 more than the placebo group in improving Geriatric Quality of Life scale-Dementia score by one point for one year. Conclusions: Although HPP treatment did not significantly improve cognition, it changed behavioral and psychological symptoms in MCI.

• 대한간호학회지
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.678-687
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• 1996

Smoking is considered to be one of the important risk factors associated with various health problems. Thirty seven million people in America quit smoking in the past decade, with 90% quitting on their own(Americal Heart Association, 1986). According to McAlister(1975), 70% of smokers reported that they adopted a self-help smoking cessation approach rather than a formal treatment program. In our country, although, auccessful exsmokers have used, are not available, concerns about smoking cessation have increased, recently, due to changes in social and political attitudes to health promotion. This study was conducted to help smokers who had made a decision to adopt a self-helf smoking cessation approach instead of depending on a formal treatment program. It provided a structurd way for sucessful smoking cessation by identifying change mechanism factors which have been commonly used by smokers. The subjects selected for this study were 155 university students between 20 and 29. Years of age the results from the analysis of the collected data showed that seven factors in the self-help change processes significant, and they are named, Stimulus Control, Self-Determination, Information Management, Reinforcement Management, Helpful Relationships, Dramatic Relief, and Cognitive Restructuring. All of the factors except Self-Determination represent the same change mechanisms which are proposed by Prochaska et at.(1988). Self-Determination uniformly includes items belonging to various change processes. Therefore, it might be an transitional factor including strategies related to both cognitive and behavioral dimensions. In spite of this, noted that one item which gives meaning of Self-Determination shows the highest factor loading, it is named Self-Determination.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.328-337
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• 2016

We examined whether wogonin (WO) improved hippocampal neuronal activity, behavioral alterations and cognitive impairment, in rats induced by administration of trimethyltin (TMT), an organotin compound that is neurotoxic to these animals. The ability of WO to improve cognitive efficacy in the TMT-induced neurodegenerative rats was investigated using a passive avoidance test, and the Morris water maze test, and using immunohistochemistry to detect components of the acetylcholinergic system, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB) expression. Rats injected with TMT showed impairments in learning and memory and daily administration of WO improved memory function, and reduced aggressive behavior. Administration of WO significantly alleviated the TMT-induced loss of cholinergic immunoreactivity and restored the hippocampal expression levels of BDNF and CREB proteins and their encoding mRNAs to normal levels. These findings suggest that WO might be useful as a new therapy for treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases.

• 대한불안의학회지
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.3-9
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• 2013

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is defined as the tendency to react negatively on an emotional, cognitive, and behavioral level to uncertain situations and events. However, this definition is somewhat categorical and does not explain the phenomenology of IU. Intolerance of uncertainty scale (IUS), the standard measure of IU, was considered to have two factors : 'unacceptability and avoidance of uncertainty' and 'uncertainty leading to the inability to act'. IU may be a cognitive vulnerability factor for clinical worry and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). A number of moderators and mediators including cognitive avoidance, experiential avoidance and rumination influence the relationship between IU, worry, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, anxious and depressive symptoms. IU may be more strongly related to the symptoms of GAD than to symptoms of other anxiety disorders including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and major depressive disorder. IU may serve as an important transdiagnostic feature across anxiety and depressive disorders. Incorporating IU-specific treatment components into therapeutic protocols may result in pervasive benefits, and not only for those with GAD or OCD, but for people with any anxiety disorder or with depression.

• 대한약침학회지
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.10-17
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• 2017

Objectives: Boswellic acid (BA), a compound isolated from the gum-resin of Boswellia carterii, is a pentacyclic terpenoid that is active against many inflammatory diseases, including cancer, arthritis, chronic colitis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and memory impairment, but the mechanism is poorly understood. This study investigated the effects of boswellic acid on spatial learning and memory impairment induced by trimethyltin (TMT) in Wistar rats. Methods: Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: Normal group, TMT-administrated rats (8.0 mg/kg, Intraperitoneally, i.p.) and TMT + BA (40, 80 and 160 mg/kg, i.p.)-administrated rats. BA was used daily for 21 days. To evaluate the cognitive improving of BA, we performed the Morris water maze test. Moreover, to investigate the neuroprotective effect of BA, we determined the acetylcholinesterase (AchE) activity, the malondialdehyde (MDA) level as a marker of lipid peroxidation, and the glutathione (GSH) content in the cerebral cortex. Results: Treatment with TMT impaired learning and memory, and treatment with BA at a dose of 160 mg/kg produced a significant improvement in learning and memory abilities in the water maze tasks. Consistent with behavioral data, the activity of AChE was significantly increased in the TMT-injected rats compared to the control group (P < 0.01) whereas all groups treated with BA presented a more significant inhibitory effect against AChE than the TMT-injected animals. In addition, TMT reduced the GSH content and increased the MDA level in the cerebral cortex as compared to the control group) P < 0.01). On the other hand, treatment with BA at 160 mg/kg slightly increased the GSH content and reduced the MDA level in comparison to the TMT-administered group (P < 0.01). Conclusion: The above results suggest that the effect of BA in improving the cognitive function may be mediated through its antioxidant activity.

• 정신신체의학
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.136-144
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• 2017

연구목적 치료를 마친 유방암 환자들에서 인지 저하가 나타난다는 것이 알려져 있다. 인지 저하는 항암치료, 암이라는 질병 자체의 영향, 우울과 불안을 포함하는 정서요인 등의 다양한 원인들에 의해 나타날 수 있다고 알려져 있다. 그러나 인지 저하가 항상 신경심리검사 결과와 일치하는 것은 아니었다. 이에 본 연구는 주관적 인지 저하가 객관적 인지기능 검사와 관련성이 있는지, 인지 저하의 관련요인은 무엇인지 알아보고자 하였다. 방 법 치료 종료 후 6개월이 지난 유방암 환자들 중 인지 저하를 호소하는 29명의 환자군과 동일한 연령대의 20명의 정상 대조군이 연구에 참여하였다. 모든 연구 참여자들을 대상으로 신경심리검사를 시행하였고, 이후 다중회귀분석을 통해 신경심리검사 점수와 우울, 불안을 포함하는 정서 요인과의 관련성을 평가하였고, 연령, 교육수준, 공존 질환과의 연관성도 함께 알아보았다. 결 과 유방암 환자군과 정상 대조군 간 신경심리검사 결과의 차이는 없었다. 정상 대조군에 비해 유방암 환자군에서 우울(p=0.002) 및 불안(p<0.001) 의 정도가 유의하게 높았다. 유방암 환자군 내에서 연령, 교육수준, 공존 질환을 통제하였을 때 실행기능의 저하는 높은 우울(${\beta}=-0.336$, p=0.001), 불안(${\beta}=-0.273$, p=0.009)의 정도와 유의한 관련이 있었다. 마찬가지로 주의력 저하도 높은 우울(${\beta}=-0.375$, p=0.023) 및 불안(${\beta}=-0.404$, p=0.013)의 정도와 유의한 상관관계를 보였다. 결 론 연구 결과 환자들의 주관적 인지 저하와 객관적 인지기능 검사 결과가 일치하지 않는다는 것을 알 수 있었다. 이는 주관적 인지 저하가 우울이나 불안과 같은 정서적 스트레스의 지표로 나타날 수 있음을 시사한다.