• Anxiety and mood
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.3-11
• /
• 2015

Objective : The aim of this study was to find associations between specific symptoms and suicidal behavior by using global severity on depression scales. Methods : Data were obtained from 1,183 patients of CRESCEND study. Factor analysis of the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) was used to compare symptom clusters between the past suicide attempters and the non-suicide attempters, among the patients with depressive disorders. Results : Factor analyses of HAM-D and BDI-II extracted three factors. Suicide attempters had significantly higher scores on core factor of HAM-D, including depressed mood, feeling of guilt, suicide, work, and activities. The higher scores on all factors of BDI-II or scores correlated with a total of 7 suicide attempts and with known risk factors for suicidal behavior. Conclusion : These findings suggest that the suicide attempters complained of more cognitive, affective, somatic symptoms on BDI-II, but the core factor on HAM-D was the only differentiated factor between the two groups. Clinician-rated scales as well as self-reported questionnaires were valid in measuring suicidal attempts, and the clinical profile may help in guiding the studies of biological correlates and the treatments to reduce suicide risk.

• Anxiety and mood
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.143-150
• /
• 2014

Objective : The subgenual cingulate cortex, a part of default-mode network, has been known to playa key role in the pathophysiology of depression. The previous studies have reported abnormal functional connectivity between the subgenual cingulate cortex and other brain regions in the patients with depression. The goal of this shldy was to explore the resting-state functional connectivity of the subgenual cingulate cortex between the patients with depression and healthy subjects. Methods : Twenty patients with major depression and age- and sex-matched 20 healthy subjects underwent 5-minute resting state fMRI scans. The functional connectivity map in each subject was acquired using seed-based correlation analysis with the seed located in the subgenual cingulate cortex (Talairach coordinates; x=-10, y=5, z=-10). The functional connectivity maps were calculated using AFNI and compared between the patient and healthy subject group via two-sample T-test using 3dttest++ in AFNI package. Results : Functional connectivity was decreased between the subgenual cingulate cortex and both sides of fusiform gyrus in depressed subjects. Connectivity was also decreased between the subgenual cingulate cortex and the left cerebellum in the patient group. There was no correlation between the severity of depression and the degree of functional connectivity between the subgenual cingulate cortex and the regions showing decreased functional connectivity. Conclusion : Decreased resting-state functional connectivity between the subgenual cingulate cortex and both sides of fusiform gyrus, and decreased connectivity between the subgenual cingulate cortex and the left cerebellum found in the patients with major depression in comparison to the healthy subjects might be related to abnormal emotional and cognitive processing of depressed patients.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.13-23
• /
• 2011

Objectives : The aim of this survey study is to analysis clinical symptoms and patterns of dementia patients. The results of this study will be used to support development of the oriental herbal medicine for dementia. Methods : Clinical data were collected from 41 dementia patients and 20 aged persons who have no cognitive impairment in 3 sites including 2 hospitals and 1 sanatorium. 'The instrument of oriental medical evaluation for dementia' is used to evaluate clinical symptoms and patterns of all subjects. Results : 1. Subjects of deficiency syndrome patterns were nearly three times more than subjects of excess syndrome patterns. 2. In dementia patient group, the average rate for 4 clinical symptoms, related with treatment principle of clear heat, was 26.9%. 3. The average rate for 4 clinical symptoms, related with condition of urine and feces, was 15.6%. 4. The average rate for 5 clinical symptoms, related with anger, irritation, anxiety and restlessness, was 40.0%. Conclusions : 1. It is needed to develop new herbal medicine for dementia focuing on clear heat, anger, irritation, anxiety, restlessness, and condition of urine and feces. 2. 'The instrument of oriental medical evaluation for dementia' has strong tendency that excessively reflects general geriatric symptoms, related to deficiency syndrome patterns. so, more clinical symptoms of excess syndrome should be added in this tool.

• Anxiety and mood
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.41-49
• /
• 2012

Introduction : Suicide in Korea has increased to 31.2 persons per 100,000 population, the world's highest level. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the world, but in Korea, it is 4th leading cause of death. Therefore suicide is a serious problem in Korea. Many suicide prevention strategies have been proposed. Despite efforts to prevent suicides in Korea, a steady increases in the number of suicides has been brought into question the effectiveness of suicide prevention activities in Korea. Methods : Strategy of restricting suicide methods in many countries was reviewed. Systematic approach to restrict suicidal methods in Korea is proposed. Results : Restricting suicide methods is one of the effective suicide prevention strategies employed in the UK and other countries. Since many suicides occur impulsively, suicide attempt lethality is an important factor in determining the rate of deaths in suicidal attempts. Physical restriction of suicide methods is important in preventing suicide, but restriction of cognitive access to information about suicide and suicide method is more important in preventing suicide. In particular hanging is one of the most common methods of suicides in Korea, it is crucial to develop strategies to prevent suicide by hanging cognitively. Also information about suicide should be properly controlled. To do this, suicide news reporting guidelines should be observed, and website makers whose websites provoke thoughts about suicide should be more strictly sanctioned. Conclusion : Restricting suicide methods along with other suicide prevention plans may be the most effective way to prevent suicide in Korea.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.20 no.8
• /
• pp.83-92
• /
• 2019

This qualitative study employed focused group interviews to collect data on the forgetfulness experienced by elderly persons (over the age of 65) who suffer with subjective memory impairment. The participants were ten elderly persons who participated in the cognitive function improvement program at an elderly welfare center in D city. They were divided into three groups that were comprised of three/four people each, and each group was interviewed for 40~60 minutes. The results showed that "difficulties in human relations", "feeling uncomfortable in daily life", "exposure to a safety risk", "inexpressible ambivalence" and "family effort to overcome forgetfulness" were all expressed in the interviews. The elderly who participated in this study and who complained of subjective memory impairment had both feelings of anxiety and anxiety about non-dementia, and they were making efforts to overcome forgetfulness themselves. Based on this study, we suggest that interventions should be developed that reflect the individual needs of elderly people with subjective memory impairment.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.12 no.6
• /
• pp.521-526
• /
• 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
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.68-76
• /
• 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.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
• /
• v.13 no.8
• /
• pp.573-581
• /
• 2019

This study was to investigate the effects of group program on interactions and activity performance and among chronic stroke patients living in the community. This study was performed on 8 chronic stroke patients living in the community for 40 weeks for group program once a week for 60 minutes. group programs consisted of gross motor, fine motor, and cognitive activities that led to interactions among group members. Results were assessed by using the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale(SIAS) and Canadian Occupational Performance Measure(COPM), and evaluation of the task performance and social interaction was conducted. There was statistically significant decrease in social interaction anxiety level of subjects after group program intervention and statistically significant improvement in task performance. In addition, all of the subjects showed positive satisfaction with the program after the intervention. group program provided by the to chronic stroke patients living in the community is a approach that enhances the interacts with the members, task performance of the subjects and helps them design a meaningful life.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.451-472
• /
• 2018

The purpose of this study was to examine implicit associations of negative emotion (i.e. anxiety and depression) and self among a college students having experienced posttraumatic stress symptoms. The participants were 61 college students(male 16, female 45). They were classified into two groups, trauma group(n=35) and control group(n=26) according to scores of Korean version of Impact of Events Scale-Revised. Two groups were compared with regard to automatic self-anxious and self-depressive associations measured with the Implicit Association Test using both words and facial expression pictures, respectively. As results, trauma group showed more enhanced self-anxious association in the words conditions, and stronger self-anxious and self-depressive associations in the pictures conditions than control group, whereas there were no significant differences between two groups in explicit cognition and depression. These results suggest that traumatic experiences could influence self-concepts in the automatic process. Limitations of the current study and suggestions for future research were discussed.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.15-21
• /
• 2013

Objectives: Cognitive impairment in restless legs syndrome (RLS) patients can be affected by sleep deprivation, anxiety and depression, which are common in RLS. The objective of this study is to investigate relationship between cognitive impairment and RLS in the non-medicated Korean elderly with controlling for psychiatric conditions. Method: The study sample for this study comprised 25 non-medicated Korean elderly RLS patients and 50 age-, sex-, and education- matched controls. All subjects were evaluated with comprehensive cognitive function assessment tools- including the Korean version of Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Packet (CERAD-K), severe cognitive impairment rating scale (SCIRS), frontal assessment battery (FAB), and clock drawing test (CLOX). Sleep quality and depression were also assessed with Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and geriatric depression scale (GDS). Results: PSQI and GDS score showed no difference between RLS and control group. There was no significant difference between two groups in nearly all the cognitive function except in constructional recognition test, in which subjects with RLS showed lower performance than control group (t=-2.384, p=0.02). Subjects with depression ($GDS{\geq}10$) showed significant cognitive impairment compared to control in verbal fluency, Korean version of Mini Mental Status Examination in the CERAD-K (MMSE-KC), word list memory, trail making test, and frontal assessment battery (FAB). In contrast, no difference was observed between subjects who have low sleep quality (PSQI>5) and control group. Conclusions: At the exclusion of the impact of insomnia and depression, cognitive function was found to be relatively preserved in RLS patients compared to control. Impairment of visual recognition in RLS patients can be explained in terms of dopaminergic dysfunction in RLS.