• Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.422-433
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• 2018

Objective: Neuropsychiatric manifestations like depression and cognitive dysfunction commonly occur in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In the context of the brain-gut axis model, colitis can lead to alteration of brain function in a bottom-up manner. Here, the changes in the response of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and inflammation-related markers in the brain in colitis were studied. Methods: Dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) was used to generate a mouse model of colitis. Mice were treated with DSS for 3 or 7 days and sacrificed. We analyzed the gene expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and the expression of GFAP, in the hippocampus, hypothalamus, and amygdala. Additionally, the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum cortisol/corticosterone were measured. Results: Alteration of inflammatory-related markers varied depending on the brain region and exposure time. In the hippocampus, COX-2 mRNA, GFAP mRNA, and GFAP expression were upregulated during exposure to DSS. However, in the hypothalamus, COX-2 mRNA was upregulated only 3 days after treatment. In the amygdala, BDNF and COX-2 mRNAs were downregulated. CRP and corticosterone expression increased with DSS treatment at day 7. Conclusion: IBD could lead to neuroinflammation in a bottom-up manner, and this effect varied according to brain region. Stress-related hormones and serum inflammatory markers, such as CRP, were upregulated from the third day of DSS treatment. Therefore, early and active intervention is required to prevent psychological and behavioral changes caused by IBD, and region-specific studies can help understand the precise mechanisms by which IBD affects the brain.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.110-118
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• 2018

Purpose: Reminiscence therapy is a widely used intervention for older adults and those with dementia. However, the attributes of the concept of reminiscence is not clearly proposed. The aim of this study was to clarify the concept of reminiscence in Korean older adults with dementia. Methods: The study applied the concept analysis method of Walker and Avant. The literature review included the previous studies of reminiscence from philosophy, literature, art, neuroscience, medicine, psychology, sociology, and nursing. Results: A total of 43 Korean or international papers were analyzed in this study. Attributes of reminiscence in Korean older adults with dementia were regeneration of memories, internal and external communications, expression of suppressed emotions, and recognition of ego identity. The suppressed emotions and ego identity may result from Korean cultural characteristics based on the suppressed environments of many wars and dictatorships in the past. The consequences of reminiscence in Korean older adults with dementia are cognitive enhancement, relief of depression, and improvements of social interactions, ego integrity, and quality of life. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the historical and cultural characteristics should be considered to develop effective nursing interventions including reminiscence for Korean older adults with dementia.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.521-526
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• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Although a lot of effort has been put into increasing fruit and vegetable intakes in preschool children, vegetable intake in this group is still low. This study investigated whether nutrition education focusing on fruit and vegetable intakes can affect preschoolers' fruit and vegetable intakes as well as their behavioral outcomes. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Thirty-five preschoolers (54.3% boys, n = 19) aged 4-6 years residing in Seoul underwent weekly nutrition education intervention (8 sessions) between May and July 2016. Intakes of fruits and vegetables were measured during pre and post-intervention. At snack time, fresh fruit (150 g) and vegetable (120 g) snacks were distributed to each child by teachers. The remaining portions of the snacks were weighed and recorded for each child. Behavioral outcomes were measured by applying Child behavior checklist 1.5-5 and the Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. RESULTS: During post intervention, vegetable intake increased from $36.15{\pm}30.64g$ to $48.01{\pm}31.23g$ (P = 0.010). Among the emotional and behavioral problems measured by parents, levels of total problems (P = 0.001), internalizing (P = 0.004), externalizing (P = 0.003), anxiety and depression (P = 0.001), and aggressive behavior (P = 0.005) decreased. Anxiety (P = 0.026) score, as measured by teachers, also decreased. CONCLUSIONS: Nutrition education of preschoolers regarding the intakes of fruits and vegetables had a positive effect on preschoolers' vegetable intake as well as on their emotional and behavioral outcomes. A long-term, large-scale study with a broader study design is warranted to further investigate the role of fruit and vegetable intake in cognitive development and behavior of preschoolers.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.68-76
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• 2019

Objective : The goal of this study was to investigate the characteristics of early maladaptive schemas (EMSs), and associated neurocognitive functions as seen in visitors for military designation process. Methods : This retrospective study included 111 males aged 18 to 24 years among three groups: 41 visitors for military designation process (VMD), 21 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and 49 healthy subjects. We collected the results of the Young Schema Questionnaire, Symptom Checklist-90-Revised, three neurocognitive tests as well as their clinicodemographic data. We analyzed the differences in EMSs between these three groups, and the correlations among the identified EMSs and neurocognitive performances within the VMD group. Results : Compared with both the OCD and healthy groups, the evaluation of the VMD group showed significantly higher scores in mistrust/abuse (F=6.4, p=0.002), vulnerability to harm (F=6.6, p<0.0001) and negativity/pessimism schema (F=7.3, p<0.0001), even when controlling for depression scores and levels of education. These three schemas also exhibited significant negative correlations with the score of Stroop test with r ranging from -0.34 to -0.44. Conclusion : These findings suggest that people who are likely to have difficulties adjusting to living in a military life may have psychological vulnerabilities related to certain EMSs. Further studies are warranted to test the clinical potentials of these findings, such as a treatment target and a predictor factor.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.197-208
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• 2021

Objectives : The aim of this study was to conduct a scoping review focusing on acupuncture points information applied in experimental studies using electroacupuncture for stroke. Methods : First, we set the research question of this study to identify which acupuncture points were studied for various symptoms of post-stroke sequelae in clinical and animal experiments. For this purpose, among the records searched through EMBASE, experimental studies including acupuncture points used in electroacupuncture treatment for stroke were selected as inclusion criteria for this study. The acupoints information used in each experiment was extracted from the included studies according to the type of study design and symptoms of stroke sequelae, and quantitative analysis was performed. Results : A total of 973 studies using acupuncture treatment, of which 429 papers including electroacupuncture were analyzed. Most of the animal experiments were conducted on general conditions instead of specific symptoms of stroke, and in clinical studies, electroacupuncture studies were conducted on symptoms such as hemiplegia and spasticity, cognitive and mental problems, dysphagia, shoulder problems, and depression that occur after stroke. Acupuncture points such as GV20, ST36, LI11, and LI4 were mainly used regardless of stroke symptoms. Except for these acupuncture points, GV26, GV14, GV16, and GV24 were frequently used in animal experiments, and TE5, LI15, LI10, and LR3 were widely used in clinical studies. Conclusions : Although this study extracted and analyzed only the frequent acupuncture points in the electroacupuncture study for stroke. However, in the future, it is necessary to be able to secure the evidence for acupuncture treatment elements through comparative studies between different acupuncture points or other elements constituting electroacupuncture.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.608-623
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• 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a combined biofeedback and brief emotion regulation (C-BABER) program for sexually abused adolescents. Methods: This study employed a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The participants included 26 sexually abused adolescents from eight Sunflower Centers of South Korea-with 13 in the experimental group and 13 in the control group. The experimental group received four sessions of the individual C-BABER program, each lasting 60 minutes. Results: Compared with the control group, sexually abused adolescents in the experimental group exhibited significant score differences in traumatic symptoms, including depression (Z = - 2.24, p = .025), dissociation (Z = - 2.21, p = .027), anxiety (Z = - 2.02, p = .044), and posttraumatic stress (Z = - 2.01 p = .045); and impulsivity, including positive urgency (Z = - 3.35, p = .001) and negative urgency (Z = - 2.28, p = .023). Additionally, the experimental group exhibited significant score differences in meta-mood, including emotional attention (Z = - 2.45, p = .014), emotional clarity (Z = - 2.30, p = .021), and emotional repair (Z = - 2.28, p = .022); and emotional regulation modes, including emotional suppression (Z = - 2.65, p = .008) and cognitive reappraisal (Z = - 1.98, p = .047). Regarding bio-attention, significant changes were identified in the experimental group for the bio-attention rate and attention maintenance time in the posttest compared to the pretest (p = .001). Conclusion: The C-BABER program for sexually abused adolescents is effective in decreasing traumatic symptoms and impulsivity, and in improving meta-mood, emotional regulation mode, and bio-attention. Therefore, we recommend providing sexually abused adolescents the C-BABER program to help them regulate their emotions and effectively adapt to their lives.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.307-317
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• 2023

Objectives: To introduce the progress of treatment and improve clinical use after application of Emotion-to-Emotion Therapy (ETE Therapy) for treating Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Methods: A patient who was diagnosed with PTSD that occurred after violence in the family mainly complained about abdominal pain, depression, and fear. We treated the patient with ETE therapy as the main treatment. Subjective Units of Distress scale (SUDs), The Core Seven-Emotions Inventory Short Form (CSEI-s), and Mentalizing the Rooms of Mind (MRM) were evaluated before and after the treatment for assessing the clinical effect. Results: After treatment, overall clinical symptoms of the patient were alleviated. This result was supported by a decrease in SUDs. There were meaningful drops in 'Fear', 'Fright', 'Sorrow' in CSEI-s scores, consistent with the direction of 'Sa-seung-Gong (思勝恐)' used as major technique of ETE therapy. Resources and positive emotions in MRM were increased after treatment. Conclusions: ETE therapy may be effective for treating PTSD. It might play a significant role in cognitive reconstruction.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.371-384
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• 2023

Purpose: With an increase in the aging population, the number of patients with degenerative spinal diseases undergoing surgery has risen, as has the incidence of postoperative delirium. This study aimed to investigate the risk factors affecting postoperative delirium in older adults who had undergone spine surgery and to identify the associated biomarkers. Methods: This study is a prospective study. Data of 100 patients aged ≥ 70 years who underwent spinal surgery were analyzed. Demographic data, medical history, clinical characteristics, cognitive function, depression symptoms, functional status, frailty, and nutritional status were investigated to identify the risk factors for delirium. The Confusion Assessment Method, Delirium Rating Scale-R-98, and Nursing Delirium Scale were also used for diagnosing delirium. To discover the biomarkers, urine extracellular vesicles (EVs) were analyzed for tau, ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1), neurofilament light, and glial fibrillary acidic protein using digital immunoassay technology. Results: Nine patients were excluded, and data obtained from the remaining 91 were analyzed. Among them, 18 (19.8%) developed delirium. Differences were observed between participants with and without delirium in the contexts of a history of mental disorder and use of benzodiazepines (p = .005 and p = .026, respectively). Tau and UCH-L1-concentrations of urine EVs-were comparatively higher in participants with severe delirium than that in participants without delirium (p = .002 and p = .001, respectively). Conclusion: These findings can assist clinicians in accurately identifying the risk factors before surgery, classifying high-risk patients, and predicting and detecting delirium in older patients. Moreover, urine EV analysis revealed that postoperative delirium following spinal surgery is most likely associated with brain damage.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.49-57
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• 2023

Background: Several previous studies have reported that quality of life (QoL) in hemodialysis patients affects mortality. However, the 36-item Short Form Health Survey, which has been used mainly in previous studies, is complicated in terms of questionnaire composition and interpretation. This study aimed to identify the impact of QoL on mortality in hemodialysis patients using an easier and simpler diagnostic tool. Methods: This retrospective study included 160 hemodialysis patients. QoL was evaluated using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire-Brief version (WHOQOL-BREF). Psychosocial factors were evaluated using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. We also evaluated medical factors, such as dialysis adequacy and laboratory results. Results: The mean hemodialysis vintage was 70.7±38.0 months. The proportion of patients who were elderly was higher in the mortality group than in the surviving group, and the Charlson Comorbidity Index score was also higher in the former group. Of the four domains of the WHOQOL-BREF, the physical health and psychological scores of the mortality group were significantly lower than those of the survival group. When the score in the physical health domain or psychological domain was ≤10, the 10-year mortality rate after hemodialysis initiation increased by approximately 2.3- and 2-fold, respectively. Conclusion: QoL may have a significant effect on mortality in patients undergoing hemodialysis. The WHOQOL-BREF is an instrument that can measure QoL relatively easily and can be used to improve the long-term prognosis of patients undergoing hemodialysis.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.77-86
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• 2023

Purpose : This study systematically assessed 9 emotion-function programs for schizophrenic individuals that have been implemented over the past 10 years in Korea and abroad, with the objective of providing clinical grounds and data for further programs. Methods : This study identified 2,558 studies from among those registered in the RISS, KISS, EMbase, PubMed and Scopus databases from 2013 to September 2023, using 'schizophrenia' AND 'emotion' AND ('program' OR 'therapy') as keywords. Of the 2,558 studies retrieved from electronic databases, 602 duplicate papers were excluded. After this process, 1,915 papers that did not meet the study's inclusion and exclusion criteria were excluded based on their titles and abstracts. Following a review of the texts of the remaining 41 papers, nine papers were finally selected, excluding 32 papers according to the selection and exclusion criteria. Results : Programs for the emotional function of patients with schizophrenia have continued to be researched. The results of an evaluation on the quality of the selected literature confirmed that a majority of the reviewed items were "uncertain", confirming that there was a risk of bias. The interventions for emotions included art, cognitive-behavioral, and physical programs, of which art programs were frequently applied. Most of the interventions were implemented in hospitals. The dependent variables for evaluating emotions included emotional expression, depression, anxiety, and positive emotions, and among them, emotional expression was used most frequently. Accordingly, the Berkeley expressivity questionnaire was commonly used as an evaluation tool. Conclusion : This study is significant for intending to analyze domestic and overseas programs for the emotions of patients with schizophrenia, thereby proposing the direction for planning and applying interventions in clinical settings. In follow-up studies, it will be necessary to develop a protocol that confirms interventions according to the settings and patient characteristics of programs and expands the scope of literature reviews.