• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.705-712
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• 2007

Purpose: Transsexualism is considered to be the extreme end of the spectrum of gender identity disorders characterized by, among other things, a pursuit of sex reassignment surgery (SRS). We evaluated psychologic status, health-related quality of life in female-to-male (FTM), male-to-female (MTF) transgender individuals. Methods: We used the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, Moudsley obsessive-compulsive Inventory, SCL-90-R, Short-Form 36-Question Health Survey version 2 (SF-36v2). We enrolled 40 transsexual participants. Results: Analysis of quality of life health concepts demonstrated statistically significant (p<0.01) diminished quality of life among the transsexual participants as compared to the Korea male and female population. FTM transgender participants reported more higher hostile, phobic than MTF transgenders. Overall, in all psychologic status examination, Transgender individuals are within normal population boundary. On all category, result is improved post-operatively. Conclusion: Transgender participants reported mental status within normal boundary. SRS improved their quality of life and mental stability.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.161-174
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• 2003

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD) is one of the most common childhood-onset psychiatric disorders. It is distinguished by symptoms of hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. The etiology of ADHD is unknown, and the disorder may several different causes. The pharmacotherapy most widely used for ADHD occasionally gives rise to ill effects. The studys of ADHD were approached from the viewpoint of medicine and pedagogics, but it is rare from the viewpoint of the Korean Medicine. So, we searched for the studies on ADHD of Chinese Traditional Medicine(TCM) in last eight years(1995-2002). In TCM, ADHD was placed under the category of 'wind(風)-one of the five pathogenic factors', 'insomnia(失眠)', 'forgetfulness(健忘)' and 'restlessness(躁動)', etc. Jang and Bu(the internal organs; 臟腑) related with the differentiations of syndrome about ADHD were liver(肝), heart(心), spleen(脾), kidney(腎) and gallbladder(膽). Among them, liver(肝), kidney(腎) and spleen(脾) were important. The herbal medicines used in ADHD had the effects of spirit-calming(安神), orifices-opening(開竅), Eumyang-balance(陰陽平衡). And acupuncture therapy, ear-acupuncture therapy and dietary treatment, etc. were used in the treatment of ADHD. We expect that this review about ADHD in TCM help the clinical study of ADHD in Korean Medicine.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.61 no.4
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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.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.272-278
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• 1997

Many investigators are trying to elucidate the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders on the basis of neuroendocrine responses to stimulation or perturbation. Dexamethasone(DEX) suppression has been the most widely utilized as the prototypical challenge test. Dexamethasone suppression test(DST) has proven to be valuable in diagnosing the depressive spectrum disorder. Reported specificity of diagnosis of depression is relatively high, but sensitivity is limited. Some researchers used the combination of dexamethasone and corticotropin releasing hormone(CRH) in order to improve the sensitivity. They reported that combined DEX/CRH test is more sensitive than DST alone. In this study the authors modified the DEX/CRH test, i.e., we administered the insulin instead of CRH. Total subjects were 28(7 normal controls, 10 manic patients, 11 schizophrenic patients). Subjects were taken DEX(1.5mg p.o.) at 11 p.m., insulin 16 hours later(0.1 unit/kg i.v.). Five blood samples for the determination of cortisol and ACTH were serially drawn at 15 minute interval. The results are as followings : 1) The cortisol and ACTH levels of manic subjects increased following insulin administration. Manic subjects showed higher levels of cortisol and ACTH than schizophrenic and normal control subjects. The cortisol and ACTH levels of schizophrenic and normal control subjects did not show gross changes. 2) The sensitivity of the test was lower than that of reported DEX/CRH test.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.268-273
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• 2007

Objectives : Findings from behavioral genetics which demonstrate the high heritability of personality traits have stimulated the search for the specific genes underlying personality. A large number of association studies have investigated a correlation between serotonin transporter-linked promoter region(5-HTTLPR) polymorphism and personality traits but the results have been inconsistent. So, the aim of this study is to investigate in a large sample with homogenous background about ethnicity, gender, occupation, and age. Methods : The participants included 247 healthy Korean female adults(mean age=23.12, SD=3.22)with no history of psychiatric disorders and other physical illnesses. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood, and genotyping was performed by PCR. Personality assessment was done with the Temperament and Character Inventory(TCI). Results : Genotype Frequencies are l/l 3.6%, l/s 32.8% and s/s 63.6%(l allele:20%, s allele:80%). This low frequency of the l allele and l/l genotype was different from Caucasian results. No significant association was observed between 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and personality traits in a Korean female population. Conclusions : This study investigated the association between 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and personality traits in Korean female subjects, a large sample with homogeneous background about ethnicity, gender, occupation, and age. No significant association was observed between 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and personality traits in a Korean female population.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.93-102
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• 2001

The relaxation response is a state of profound rest, creates physiological responses directly opposite to the stress response. The relaxation response can be used to counteract the harmful effects of stress. The relaxation response can be elicited by a number of techniques such as diaphragmatic breathing, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, autogenic training, biofeedback, etc. These relaxation methods in any mental or physical conditions associated with distress and even in normal people have useful benefits for stress control and health enhancement. These relaxation techniques are but one part of a comprehensive stress management program, through regular and continuous practice appropriate for each person, they will make an effective role in stress management. In this review, author reviewed how to practically use meditation, progressive muscle relaxation and autogenic training, in more detail. In the treatment of various stress-related disease, especially in psychiatric disorders, the relaxation technique may be a useful complement to conventional treatment and serves as an intervention between stress and disease.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.42-50
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• 1999

Alexithymia refers to a specific disturbance in psychic functioning characterized by difficulties in the capacity to verbalize affect and to elabolate fantasies. Although it was initially described in the context of psychosomatic illness, alexithymic charateristics may be observed in patients with a wide range of medical and psychiatric disorders. This study was designed to investigate alexithymic characteristics in the patients with alcoholism using Scored Archetypal 9 Test(SAT9) and Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 Korea version(TAS-20K). Twenty patients with alcoholism and twenty-four normal controls completed these tests. The results were as follows. 1) Patient group with alcoholism were significantly more alexithymic than normal control group in both SAT9 and TAS-20K. 2) No significant difference in the alexithymic measures was found between genders of both group. 3) No significant correlation was found between alexithymic measures and age or education level in both group. 4) Measures between SAT9 and TAS-20K showed significant correlation in the patient group.

• Journal of the Korean Society for information Management
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.53-84
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• 2016

This study clarified the intellectual structure of international collaboration in psychiatry based on analyzing networks in order to vitalize for international collaboration in psychiatry in South Korea. The data set was collected from Web of Science citation database during the period from 2009 to 2013. SU="psychiatry" search formulary (means field of psychiatric medical research) was used through advanced retrieval function and a total of 18,590 articles were selected among international collaborations. A total of 85 different keywords were selected from the 18,590 articles, and the results of analysis were as follows. First, this study examined 8 sub-subject areas focusing on disorders, and found that major subject areas could be divided into a total of 8 sub-subject areas. Second, this study examined 6 keywords that have a strong impact, and extend subject areas by promoting intermediation between other keywords Third, this study examined sub-subject areas by using the Knowledge Classification Scheme of the National Research Foundation of Korea through community analysis, and found a total of 15 clusters and a total of 12 sub-subject areas.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.103-121
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• 2004

Conversion disorder and factitious disorder should be ruled out before making diagnosis of malingering. For this work, inspection of patient's behavior along with complete neurological examinations, psychological tests, and meticulous psychiatric interview are necessary. Facial expression test, thermography, dynamometry were failed differentiating conversion disorders to the malingered pain and motor symptoms, however, controlled diagnostic block showed positive result partly in patients with regional or cervical pain syndrome. Chronic pain patients who are related to the process of litigation encounter stressful life situations which lead them into various neurobehavioral and psychosocial complications. Most of suspected malingered patients would not revealed pure form rather mixed with factitious and/or conversion features. At the time of increasing number of chronic patients associated with traffic accidents or industrial injuries who are involved in litigation, psychiatrist are needed sharp eyes and tenacity for evaluating malingering or medically unexplained symptoms.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.156-164
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• 2017

Purpose: Foot and ankle disease (FAD) is a frequent cause of morbidity among the homeless population. Various conditions, exacerbated by malnutrition, poor lifestyle habits, psychiatric disorders, physical injuries, poor hygiene, and limited access to healthcare, have been described in this population. The purpose of this study was to investigate the cognition and management status of FAD in shelter based homeless people. Materials and Methods: Fifty-two male and twenty-five female volunteer homeless individuals were recruited from two homeless shelters. Each person completed a questionnaire assessing any presence of pain, pain management, as well as foot and ankle care status. A foot and ankle surgeon examined the physical status of the individual's foot and ankle, including tenderness and instability. A radiologic evaluation was done for 18 male and 11 female homeless people who agreed to participate in this test for the existence osteophyte or joint space narrowing representing osteoarthritis and some reference angles for hallux valgus, flatfoot and cavus foot. Results: Homeless people had higher prevalence of body mass index, diabetes, and smoking than the general population. The most prevalent infectious disease was fungal infection (male 78%, female 68%), with a low compliance of management for FAD. Conclusion: Although most of shelter-based homeless people showed an acceptable foot and ankle management status, the potential risk for FAD development and exacerbation of mild FAD was high.