• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.77-88
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• 2004

Acupuncture has been shown to have therapeutic effects on many mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse in human and animal studies. Maternal separation (MS) is a risk factor in the development of mood-related disorders such as depression. This study investigated the effects of acupuncture during MS by evaluating locomotion as behavioral markers of depression and by observing changes in c-Fos expression in the limbic system (hippocampus, amygdala and cingulate cortex) to elucidate the mechanism of the therapeutic effect. The employed acupoint, Shinmun (HT7), has been clinically used to treat mental disorders. MS for 7 days beginning on postnatal day 14 induced a significant decrease in locomotion, while acupuncture treatment at acupoint HT7 resulted in a significant increase in locomotion. c-Fos immunoreactive cells in area dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus were increased in the MS group, but significantly decreased in the acupuncture group. These findings suggest that acupuncture has an effect on the depression-like disorder caused by MS, possibly by modulating c-Fos expression in DC of the hippocampus.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.206-212
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• 2018

Depression is a type of mood disorder characterized by hypochondriasis, decreased appetite, and insomnia. Depression is a disease that affects more than 100 million people worldwide. 2-Nonadecanone (NAC) is a bioactive substance that constitutes Fomes fomentarius, and NAC is expected to have an antidepressant effect. By using the forced swimming test (FST), we investigated the effects of treatment with NAC on immobility subacutely in rats after oral dosing once a day for 2 days. Serum levels of cytokine interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Nuclear factor-2 (Nrf-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthases (iNOS) were analyzed by western blot method. NAC dose-dependently decreased immobility in the FST. NAC dosedependently decreased FST-induced increase of cytokine levels, as manifested by significantly stronger effects on $IL-1{\beta}$ and $TNF-{\alpha}$ levels at higher doses than the lowest dose of NAC. Western blot analysis showed that Nrf-2 was significantly lower in the NAC-treated group than in the disease-induced group. The iNOS results were also significantly lower in the NAC-treated group than in the other groups. Considering FST results, the antidepressant effect of NAC is effective. Considering the results of cytokine and protein expression, this anti-depressant effect may be related to the anti-inflammatory effect. Therefore, it can be said that the anti-inflammatory effect of NAC increases the antidepressant effect in the FST experiment.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.34-41
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• 2016

Objective : Emotional state and emotion regulation strategies are considered to be important factors influencing the pattern and severity of somatic pain. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between cognitive emotional regulation strategies and somatic pain in patients with depression and/or anxiety disorders. Methods : A total of 140 outpatients, diagnosed with depression and/or anxiety disorders according to DSM-IV-TR, were evaluated using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ), and the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for somatic pain. Pearson correlations and independent t-tests were performed to analyze the relationship between somatic pain, the severity of depression and/or anxiety and cognitive emotion regulation strategies. Results : The severity of pain was significantly correlated with depressive symptoms, but not with anxiety. Patients with somatic pain tend to use maladaptive cognitive emotion regulating strategies more frequently, especially rumination and catastrophizing. Conclusion : These findings suggest that somatic pain correlates with maladaptive cognitive emotional regulating strategies. Interventions which modulate these non-productive strategies, especially rumination and catastrophizing, would be a new approach for managing patients with depressive and/or anxiety disorders who are suffering from somatic pain.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 2017

Objective : Korean employees tend to release their stress by alcohol drinking. This study aimed to investigate the association between job stress and problematic drinking in Korean employees. Methods : The study participants were 72,119 employees who attended health screenings and responded to the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test-Korea (AUDIT-K), Korean Occupational Stress Scale-Short Form (KOSS-SF), Center for Epidemiologic Study-Depression (CES-D), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and questionnaire on suicidal ideation and sociodemographic characteristics. We investigated the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the problematic drinking group ($AUIDT-K{\geq}12$) and used binary logistic regression to determine the impact of job stress on problematic drinking. Results : Age, gender, marital status, education year, sleep duration, obesity, smoking, suicidal ideation, and depression and anxiety showed significant differences between the problematic drinking group and normal group. Among the various kinds of job stresses, job insecurity and lack of reward were associated with problematic drinking. Conclusion : The result of this study suggested that certain kinds of job stress might be associated with problematic drinking in Korean employees.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.95-102
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• 2010

Objectives : This study investigated the differences between the psychiatric characteristics of minor juvenile offenders and normal adolescents as well as differences in psychiatric symptoms after a six month protective disposition. Further, the current study aimed at determining psychiatric screening methods for evaluating delinquent adolescents. Methods : The Latent Delinquency Questionnaire (LDQ), the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS), the Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI), the Reynolds Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire (SIQ), the Piers-Harris Children's Self Concept Inventory (SCI), and the Korean Youth Self Report (K-YSR) were administered to 134 normal adolescents (114 males) and 109 minor offenders (97 males) aged 12 to 16 years. After six months, 46 offenders (all males) completed the RCMAS, CDI, SIQ, and SCI again. Results : Adolescents with minor offenses had more delinquent, aggressive behavior and externalizing behavior problems, but were significantly less depressive, anxious, or suicidal than normal controls. Further, recidivists had more anxiety, depression, and delinquent behavior than non-recidivists. Minor offenders reported that their anxiety and depressive mood decreased after six months of protective disposition. Conclusion : Adolescents with minor offenses had more delinquent, aggressive behavior and externalizing behavior problems suggesting that psychiatric screening tools for minor offenders should measure disruptive behavior disorder.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1988.08a
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• pp.87-91
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• 1988

We studied the effects of red ginseng on blood pressure (BP) and the quality of life (QOL) in 19 hypertensive patients treated with antihypertensive agents. Red ginseng was administered at a dosage of three grams a day for three months. Systolic blood pressure was significantly lowered during the administration period of red ginseng. while diastolic blood pressure and hear1 rate remained unchanged. QOL was significantly improved in $89\%$ of the patients. Among the QOL variables. sleep disorder. thirst. fatigue. mood. sexual life and general well-being were improved. Furthermore. an improved coefficient of variation of R-R intervals $(CV_{R-R})$ was observed during the period. A month after the cessation of red ginseng systolic blood pressure returned to the level before the administration and QOL variables detariorated to previous pre-treatment states. These results suggest that red ginsing may lower systolic blood pressure and may improve QOL in patients treated with antihypertensive agents.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.5-13
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• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate for the presence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-related symptoms, anxiety, and depression after stroke. Eighty-four patients were enrolled between 2 and 12 months after their first ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. Methods: PTSD symptoms were evaluated using the Impact of Event Scale (IES). The IES is a 15-item scale measuring intrusion and avoidance symptoms. The authors assessed mood alterations using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD). The HAD is a brief, 14-item, self-reported questionnaire used to detect symptoms of anxiety (HADA) and depression (HADD). The survey data were analyzed using the SPSS 10.0 program. Frequency, mean, standard deviation, percentage t-test, and Pearson correlation coefficient were determined. Results: Twenty nine of the 84 (34.5%) patients scored higher than the cutoff for PTSD on the IES (IES>26). With use of the HAD scale, 44% of the patients reached the cutoff for anxiety ($HADA\;{\geq}8$). On the HSD scale, 44.1% of the patients reached the cutoff for depression ($HADD\;{\geq}8$). PTSD symptoms and anxiety were more frequent in women under age 39, without spouses, who had operations. Depression was more frequent in patients without spouses. There was a statistically significant correlation among posttraumatic stress symptoms, anxiety, and depression. Conclusion: There was statistically significant correlation among PTSD symptoms, anxiety, and depression in stroke patients. Therefore, it is necessary to develop nursing intervention for stroke patients with these clinical manifestations.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.230-234
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• 2017

Objective: Neurasthenia is a disease which consists of increased fatigue or bodily weakness and exhaustion plus pantalgia, dizziness, headache and other symtoms relevant to autonomic nerve dysfunction. There are plenty of studies investigating the history of diagnostic criteria of neurasthenia, which is influenced by diverse cultural(or social) environment. The obejective of this study is to provide review of the previous studys on the changes of neurasthenia diagnoses in the context of local area to find meanings of these transition and improve health care for psychiatric patient. Methods: Literature review was conducted on studies demonstrating diagnostic criteria of neurasthenia with cultural(or social) environment. We investigated the literature reviews or observative studies which described alteration of diagnostic criteria of neurasthenia and assessed its significance. After selecting eligible studies, the authors read the articles and summarized the meaningful contents those were significant in clinical practice. Results: Transformation of Chinese Classification of Mental Disorder(CCMD) integrated with internationally utilized DSM-IV or ICD-10 is controversial about its significance in that it had limited effect on public health care due to the variables of sociocultural context, but primarily differentiated neurasthenia from other disorders. The latter one can be the directing point of the diagnostic criteria of other culture-bound diseases, which is the traits of not outstanding mood(or affect) than other neurotic disorders. Conclusion: As diagnostic criteria of neurasthenia varies, the significance of this variation is controversial, but could be the paragon of other culture-bound diseases.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.46-58
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• 1998

Objectives : This study was performed to evaluate the status of psychiatric consultation at a newly opened university hospital, to explore problems related to psychiatric consultation and to contribute for future consultation to be more systematic and more efficient. Methods: The subjects of this study were 284 patients hospitalized at Inha University Hospital between September 1, 1996 and August 31, 1997, who were referred for psychiatric consultation during hospitalization. This study was evaluated demographical characteristics of referred patients, resons for referral, recommendations by psychiatric consultant, clinical diagnoses, psychiatric diagnoses, relationship between referral time and hospitalization following the day of consultation and consultation referral types based upon psychiatrists' reports and patients' medical charts. Results : Most common patients referred to consultation were females aged 20s who visited at the department of internal medicine and related to the risk of suicidal attempts. Mood disorder was the most frequent psychiatric diagnosis, and the most common recommendations were to use psychopharmacological treatment along with outpatient visits. The 30% of subjects were referred to consultation within a day after hospitalization. In the case of consultation referral timing within two days and after three days, there was significant difference between early consultation and shorter hospitalization following the day of consultation. Most frequent type of consultation(29.6%) was categorized as IIIa type(physical complication type as a "Mending" request type). Conclusion : In review of consultation referral timing and consultation referral type of the subjects, who were referred for psychiatric consultation for one year at a newly opened University Hospital, referrals were found to be made within two days after their admission to hospital(50.7%), which was observed to be early request. We found that there was significant association between early consultation and shorter hospitalization following the day of consultation. The physical complication type(29.6%) which belongs to "Mending" request type was found to be the most frequent consultation referral type. This result indicates that more systematic psychiatric consultation is needed for the future.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.29-33
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• 2011

Objective : This study was performed to analyze the relationship between posttraumatic stress, coping style, and dissociation in Korean firefighters. Methods : Subjects included 193 male and 9 female firefighters in the metropolitan city of Daejeon. Their age ranged from 25 to 57 with an average of 39.17 (SD : 7.572) years. Their posttraumatic stress or traumatic experiences were assessed with the Korean Version of the Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale. Their coping style was categorized with the Korean version of the Ways of Coping Checklist. Their dissociation was assessed with the Korean version of Dissociative Experiences Scale. The data analysis included a correlation analysis and structural equation modeling. The modeling tested the validity of the model that posttraumatic stress had a direct effect on dissociation and coping style had an mediatory effect between stress and dissociation. Results : First, firefighters' posttraumatic stress or traumatic experiences had a direct effect on dissociation, a symptom of a mental disorder. Second, the firefighters employed passive styles to cope with their stress. This is explained that they had been exposed to their traumatic events repeatedly without being able to control it themselves. Third, coping style had no effect on the mediation between posttraumatic stress and dissociation. This is explained in terms of repeated exposure to the traumatic events. Conclusion : Based on the results, it is concluded that Korean firefighters' dissociation was not relieved by their coping effort but associated directly with their traumatic experiences. To decrease their dissociation, it is necessary to reduce the exposure to their traumatic events.