• Anxiety and mood
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• v.2 no.1
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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.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.3-7
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• 2009

In this article, we review research on how normal personality traits and personality disorder traits may relate to anxiety disorders ; as predisposing factors, 2) as complications, 3) as pathoplastic factors, and 4) as manifestations of common underlying etiologies. Based on current literatures, we draw a conclusion as follows : 1) Normal personality traits such as high neuroticism and low extraversion and personality disorder traits, especially cluster C traits, are at least risk factors for certain anxiety disorders ; 2) Anxiety disorders in early life might influence a later development of personality disorder ; 3) Personality disorder traits may have negative influence on the outcome of anxiety disorders ; 4) Personality and anxiety disorders may be manifestations of common genetic and environmental etiologies.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.80-88
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• 2009

Disorder of Extreme Stress, Not Otherwise Specified (DESNOS) is the proposed diagnosis that meets the severe, complex, and prolonged psychological sequela of victims with chronic traumatization (e.g., family violence, incest, and childhood sexual or physical abuse). The hallmarks of DESNOS are a multiplicity of symptoms (e.g., somatization, dissociation, and depression), pathological changes in relationships, identity disturbances, and a propensity to experience repeated harm and injury at the hands of oneself and others. DESNOS can be directly assessed by Structured Interview of Disorder of Extreme Stress (SIDES) and Self- Report Inventory of Disorder of Extreme Stress (SIDES-SR). The treatment of DESNOS should be phaseoriented and involve movement back and forth among three basic stages : 1) stabilization ; 2) trauma processing ; 3) reintegration.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.93-100
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• 2013

Major depressive disorder causes significant dysfunction and disability. Many of depressed patients tend to have cormobid anxiety disorders, substance use disorders and personality disorders, and so on. In this study, we reviewed researches about the effects of comorbid anxiety disorder, substance use disorder on depressive symptoms, progress, treatment, etc. In addition, the latest knowledges related to treatment was reviewed. If the symptoms of anxiety disorder coexist, They leads to the deterioration of the course and has an adverse effect on treatment response. Comorbid substance use disorder, such as alcohol dependence, causes worsening of symptoms and progression, and a loss of therapeutic response. Therapeutic clinical guidelines and instructions to comorbid psychiatric disorders on major depressive disorder was not established clearly, but consensus-based or evidence-based studies will be necessary for treatment for comorbid psychiatric disorders on major depressive disorder.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.74-82
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• 2019

Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate clinical and neuropsychological factors associated with treatment response and adverse events of atomoxetine in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Korea. Methods: Children with ADHD were recruited at the Department of Psychiatry of Asan Medical Center from April 2015 to April 2018. Diagnoses of ADHD and comorbid psychiatric disorders were confirmed with the Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Present and Lifetime Version. The subjects were subsequently treated with atomoxetine for 12 weeks and illness severity was scored using the ADHD Rating Scale, Clinical Global Impression-Severity scale (CGI-S) and/or Improvement scale (CGI-I), at pre- and post-treatment. They also completed the Advanced Test of Attention (ATA), while their caregivers completed the Korean Personality Rating Scale for Children (KPRC) at pre- and post-treatment. Independent t-test, Fisher's exact test, ${\chi}^2$ test, mixed between-within analysis of variance and correlation analysis were used for statistical analysis. Results: Sixty-five children with ADHD (mean age: $7.9{\pm}1.4years$, 57 boys) were enrolled, of which, 33 (50.8%) were treatment responders. Scores on the social dysfunction subscale of the KPRC (p=0.021) and commission errors on the visual ATA (p=0.036) at baseline were higher in treatment non-responders than in responders; however, the statistical significances disappeared after adjusting for multiple comparisons. Mood changes were also observed in 13 subjects (20.0%), and three of them discontinued atomoxetine due to this. Additionally, atomoxetine-emergent mood change was observed more frequently in girls (p=0.006), while the intelligence quotient (p=0.040) was higher in those subjects with mood changes than in those without. Conclusion: The results of our study suggest that clinical and neuropsychological factors could be associated with treatment response or adverse events of atomoxetine in children with ADHD. Further long-term studies with larger samples are needed.

• Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.66-73
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• 2019

Objectives: This study aimed to elucidate the effectiveness of long-term psychosocial intervention in reducing the disabling period of patients with major psychiatric disorders by their rehospitalization rate. Methods: Of the 210 patients with major psychiatric disorders received psychosocial interventions in a Mental Health and Welfare Center, 192 patients (147 with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, 45 with mood disorders) who received interventions more than 6 months were selected. Review of case management records was conducted to obtain information. Results: The number and length of hospitalization and the hospital days per year significantly decreased after psychosocial intervention. Additional analysis of 102 patients followed up for more than 5 years suggested that the effectiveness of the intervention persisted for a sufficient period. However, no significant difference was observed in the number of rehospitalization in 45 patients with mood disorders, though the length of hospitalization significantly decreased. In addition, the hospital days per year of 21 patients with mood disorder followed up for more than 5 years also showed no significant decrease. Conclusion: Long-term psychosocial intervention had a significant effect on reducing the number and length of hospitalization for patients with major psychiatric disorder and the effectiveness maintained for more than 5 years.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.149-154
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• 2015

Objective : The aim of the study was to investigate the difference in alexithymia between anxiety disorder and depressive disorder. The second was to evaluate the effect of alexithymia on quality of life in patients with anxiety disorder and depressive disorder. Methods : A total of 175 patients with diagnoses of anxiety disorder or depressive disorder were recruited. Demographic, psychosocial, and clinical data were analyzed, as well as results on the 20-item Toronto alexithymia Scale (TAS-20K), the Symptom Checklist-90-Re-vised (SCL-90-R), a quality of life scale, the Beck Depression scale, and Beck Anxiety Inventory. Results : As compared with the patients with anxiety disorder, patients with depressive disorder showed significantly higher total score on the TAS-20K and for factor 1 (difficulties identifying feelings) and factor 2 (difficulties describing feeling) scales of the TAS-20K and showed significantly lower scores of psychosocial well-being on the quality of life scale. Total scores on the TAS-20K correlated significantly with scores for some subscale on the quality of life scale. Conclusion : This study suggest that patients with depressive disorder had more alexithymic symptoms and worse quality of life compared with those with anxiety disorder. Also, alexithymic symptoms are found to be associated with quality of life. Therefore, clinicians should try to focus on relieving symptoms to help patients restore their psychological well-being and improve their quality of life.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.111-120
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• 2008

Objective : This study investigated the temperament and character traits associated with suicide attempts in patients with mood disorders. Methods : The temperament and character inventory (TCI) was administered to 150 patients who visited psychiatric clinics seeking treatment for mood symptoms. The patients were divided into three groups as follows : non-suicide ideation, suicide ideation and suicide attempt. We also gathered socio-economic data in order to rule out confounding variables. MANOVA was performed to analyze differences in personal temperament and character scores on the TCI between the three groups. Results : The self-directedness and cooperativeness subscales of the TCI are most influenced by the clinical symptoms rated by Beck Suicide Ideation Scale and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. In the temperament scale, the suicide attempt group scored higher on the novelty seeking and harm avoidance items than the other two groups. The specific temperaments associated with suicidal behavior in patients with depression are impulsivity (NS2) and anticipatory anxiety or pessimism (HA1). Conclusion : In this study, we found that more risky patients who had previously attempted suicide had a temperament of impulsivity or pessimism. This finding suggests that a more cautious approach is needed to assess mood disorder patients with impulsive or pessimistic temperaments in order to prevent suicide attempts.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.39-47
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• 2016

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the association between current suicidal or violent behavior and deficits of specific neurocognitive variables in child and adolescent inpatient samples diagnosed with mood disorder. Methods: A retrospective review of the charts of mood disorder patients hospitalized at Samsung Medical Center between April 2004 and April 2015 was conducted. Child and adolescent patients aged between 10 and 18 years old and those who finished neurocognitive function testing during their hospitalization were included. Among them patients whose full scale IQ was between 85 and 115 were selected (N=111). Participants were first divided into two age-groups-group Y ($10{\leq}age{\leq}15$, N=54) and group O ($16{\leq}age{\leq}18$, N=57)-because neurocognitive function test tools were different according to age [Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) for 10 to 15-year-old patients, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) for 16 to 18-year-old patients]. They were then divided according to their suicidal or violent behavior-non suicidal/violent group (NG), suicidal group (SG), violent group (VG), and both suicidal/violent group (BG). The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was checked for measurement of participants' behavior and the Gordon Diagnostic System was checked for measurement of their attention efficiency. Kruskal-Wallis Test and Tukey test was used to determine the differences in neurocognitive function between groups. Results: O-SG patients showed lower scores on the comprehension subscale of WAIS-III than O-NG patients (${\chi}^2=8.454$, p=.015). O-VG patients showed lower scores on the block design subscales of WAIS than O-SG patients (${\chi}^2=7.496$, p=.024). Y-VG patients showed higher scores in aggressive behavior, externalizing problems, and total problems scores of CBCL. Conclusion: This study showed relationship between specific neurocognitive deficits and suicidal or violent behavior. These relationships were significant in relatively older adolescents.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.79-84
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• 1996

We have studied 16 patients diagnosed of social phobia among the hospitalized patients for 1 year, from September 1994 to August 1995, to evaluate whether serial phobic symptoms are the prodromal symptoms of the other psychiatric disorder or concomitant disorder. The results were as follows; 1) In the subject of this study, the mean age of onset of social phobic symptoms was 17.3, and the mean age of inital hospital visit was 27.4. 2) The proportion of offensive type was higher than the simple type : 7 cases of the subjects classified as simple type, 9 cases as offensive type. 3) According to the type of social phobia, they developed different type of psychiatric disorder. Majority of patients with simple type had final diagnosis of mood disorder. Patients with offensive type had schizophrenia spectrum disorder, such as schizophrenia, delusional disorder, and schizophrenia, personality disorder. 4) Social phobic symptoms have taken various courses according to the final diagnosis. In the patients who developed major depression and delusional disorder, social phobic symptoms have not been changed during the course. Patients with the final diagnosis of schizophrenia and schizotypal personality disorder have showed various social phobic symptoms. In the patients with the final diagnosis of bipolar disorder, their social phobic symptoms disappeared with improvement of depression.