• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.175-181
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• 2014

Objectives It was the aim to examine the association of the thyroid-related hormones with cognitive function, depression, and subjective memory impairment in community-dwelling elders with questionable dementia. Methods The sample consisted of 399 community residents with 'questionable dementia' aged 60 or over in whom serum thyroid-related hormones [thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroxine] had been assayed. Cognitive impairment was defined using the Korean version of the Consortium Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease. Depression was diagnosed using the Korean version of Geriatric Depression Scale and subjective memory complaint (SMC) was checked using the subjective memory complaints questionnaire (SMCQ). Age, gender, education, and the presence of apolipoprotein E {\varepsilon}4 were included as covariates. Results There was a significant positive association between verbal fluency test (VFT) score and serum TSH levels (p = 0.01). There was a significant negative association between SMCQ total score and word list memory test (WLMT)(p = 0.002) or word list recall test (WLRT) score (p = 0.013). Conclusions Lower serum TSH levels were associated with semantic memory (VFT), and we found that SMC was associated with episodic memory (WLMT and WLRT) in this sample.

• Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.245-265
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• 2017

Recently, studies on cognitive control revealed that the optimal level of control is determined on the basis of reward and cost. The value of reward can be subjective and therefore, the optimal control strength can vary accordingly. The inconsistent effect of aging on cognitive control can be the result of flexible adjustment of control signal strength made by the older subjects. In other words, the elderly people maintains the ability to set the optimal level of control, which is known as the function of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. On the other hand, the age-related decline in cognitive control is obvious in rule maintenance and inhibition, which has to do with the function of lateral prefrontal cortex. In this study, we had young and old adults perform go-no go task and compared the behavioral and neural results for different reward conditions. Both age groups showed the best performance and the largest ERN amplitude when the reward was most appealing to them. And there was no age effect in ERN amplitude even though older adults' d' and accuracy was inferior to younger participants. These findings suggest that the effect aging on different cognitive control processes can be asymmetric.

• 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 Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.43-59
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• 2003

Object : This study was designed to assess the protective effects of Jowiseungchungtang on cognitive decline of the patients with early DAT[Dementia of Alzheimer Type]. Method : 15 patients with early DAT and 10 healthy elderly subjects were measured by using auditory ERP and K-DRS, and after 9 months again. During 9 months the patients with early DAT were administered with Jowiseungchungtang. Result : 1. The score of K-DRS increased in two group but it was not significant. 2. The latency of ERP P300 component increased in 2nd test of the normal group, but did not increase in 2nd test of patients group. 3. The amplitude of ERP P300 component showed the significant difference in electrode location in patients group, but it did not show any typical property. Conclusion : The results suggest that Jowiseungchungtang may have protective effects on cognitive decline in the patients with early DAT.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.119-128
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• 2013

Objectives Memory impairment is a very important mental health issue for elderly and adults. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a prodromal stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Early detection of the prodromal stage of patients with AD is an important topic of interest for both mental health clinicians and policy makers. Methods Electroencephalograpgy (EEG) has been used as a possible biological marker for patients with MCI, and AD. In this review, we will summarize the clinical implications of EEG and ERP as a biological marker for AD and MCI. Results EEG power density, functional coupling, spectral coherence, synchronization, and connectivity were analyzed and proved their clinical efficacy in patients with the prodromal stage of AD. Serial studies on late event-related potentials (ERPs) were also conducted in MCI patients as well as healthy elders. Even though these EEG and ERP studies have some limitations for their design and method, their clinical implications are increasing rapidly. Conclusion EEG and ERP can be used as biological markers of AD and MCI. Also they can be used as useful tools for early detection of AD and MCI patients. They are useful and sensitive research tools for AD and MCI patients. However, some problems remain to be solved until they can be practical measures in clinical setting.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.327-345
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to carry out cognitive movement therapy program for children with affective and behavioral disorder based on neuro science, psychology, motor learning, muscle physiology, biomechanics, human motion analysis, movement control and to quantify characteristic of expression and gestures according to change of facial expression by emotional change. We could observe problematic expression of children with affective disorder, and could estimate the efficiency of application of movement therapy program by the face expression change of children with affective disorder. And it could be expected to accumulate data for early detection and therapy process of development disorder applying converged measurement and analytic method for human development by quantification of emotion and behavior therapy analysis, kinematic analysis. Therefore, the result of this study could be extendedly applied to the disabled, the elderly and the sick as well as children.

• Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.79-107
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• 2009

Episodic memory, i.e. memorization of information within a spatiotemporal environment, is affected Alzheimer's disease(AD), but its impairment may also be occurred in the normal aging process. The purpose of this study is to analyze and evaluate memory in with Dementia of Alzheimer Type by examining their cognitive skills in episodic memory using the technique. This new method involves assessing the mental images the subject's own past in the mind like projected and movies. Three patients in the early stage of Dementia of Alzheimer Type, one with mild depression, and 2 healthy controls for comparison were asked to retrieve their episodic memory of the previous day, week, month, and a day testing day. The answers were then analyzed with regards to their specific features as emotional state, color, and time order. In the following day, the subjects were tasked to recall again the images they reproduced in the day's test order to observe of memory. Results showed that all 3 patients failed to arrange the retrieved images in time order and their images of the previous day were unclear in color and were stationary like photographs, even when they reproduced the mental images at much quantity as controls. patients could not remember particular events of yesterday, and only recalled the general occurrences of every day life. These results suggest that in the early stage of Dementia of Alzheimer Type, difficulties in the retrieval of recent episodic memory begin to primarily occur, and qualitative impairment happens earlier than quantitative.

• 한국노년학
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.325-340
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• 2020

Early diagnosis and intervention of dementia is critical to minimize future risk and cost for patients and their families. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate Figure-Copy Test(FCT), as a new dementia screening test, that can measure neurological damage and cognitive impairment, and then to examine whether the grading precesses for screening can be automated through machine learning procedure by using FCT imag es. For this end, FCT, Korean version of MMSE for Dementia Screening (MMSE-DS) and Clock Drawing Test were administrated to a total of 270 participants from normal and damaged elderly groups. Results demonstrated that FCT scores showed high internal constancy and significant correlation coefficients with the other two test scores. Discriminant analyses showed that the accuracy of classification for the normal and damag ed g roups using FCT were 90.8% and 77.1%, respectively, and these were relatively higher than the other two tests. Importantly, we identified that the participants whose MMSE-DS scores were higher than the cutoff but showed lower scores in FCT were successfully screened out through clinical diagnosis. Finally, machine learning using the FCT image data showed an accuracy of 73.70%. In conclusion, our results suggest that FCT, a newly developed drawing test, can be easily implemented for efficient dementia screening.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.79-88
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• 2023

Objective : This study was to apply a cognitive rehabilitation group program based on sensory activity in patients with dementia living in a facility and to check its effectiveness on cognitive function, depression, and quality of life (QOL). Methods : Sensory-based cognitive rehabilitation group programs (20 sessions) were conducted for eight elderly with dementia over the age of 65 living in a nursing facility located in H-gun, Gangwon-do. The participants' cognitive function, depression level, and QOL were evaluated before and after the program. Results : The mean of Mini-Mental State Examination-Dementia Screening increased; however, there was no statistically significant difference. In contrast, the mean post-test score of the Subjective Memory Complaints Questionnaire decreased, and there was a statistically significant difference (p < .05). The mean post-evaluation score of Short Geriatric Depression Scale measured to confirm the decrease in depression compared to the pre-evaluation score, but there was no statistically significant difference. Finally, the mean post-evaluation score of the World Health Organization QOL assessment instrument-Brief confirmed the change in the QOL, and there was a statistically significant difference (p < .001). Conclusion : This study will provide the basis for suggesting the usefulness of developing a sensory activity-based cognitive rehabilitation group program for dementia patients living in facilities.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.114-120
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the view on old age of nurses working at general hospitals, geriatric hospitals, oriental hospitals and public health centers. Methods: Data were collected using a self-report questionnaire from 461 nurses working at 3 general hospitals, 8 geriatric hospitals, 7 oriental hospitals and 6 public health centers located in Seoul, Gyeonggi-do and Chungcheong-do from June 20 to September 6, 2012. Results: The mean score of the nurses' view about old age was 3.38 out of 5 points. The details show that the 'society character' was the highest at 4.58, followed by the 'capacity character' 3.94, the 'psychology-economical character' 3.02 and the 'physical-cognitive character' 2.71. As for workplace, oriental hospitals had the highest points on the view about old age, while geriatric hospitals had the lowest. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that the nurses' view about old age were above the moderate level. As for workplace, geriatric hospital nurses had the lowest view about old age. Therefore, it is recommended to develop an educational program that may promote the nurses' view about old age and provide the better elderly care service.