• Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.23-48
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• 2024

Building human-aligned artificial intelligence (AI) for social support remains challenging despite the advancement of Large Language Models. We present a novel method, the Chain of Empathy (CoE) prompting, that utilizes insights from psychotherapy to induce LLMs to reason about human emotional states. This method is inspired by various psychotherapy approaches-Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Person-Centered Therapy (PCT), and Reality Therapy (RT)-each leading to different patterns of interpreting clients' mental states. LLMs without CoE reasoning generated predominantly exploratory responses. However, when LLMs used CoE reasoning, we found a more comprehensive range of empathic responses aligned with each psychotherapy model's different reasoning patterns. For empathic expression classification, the CBT-based CoE resulted in the most balanced classification of empathic expression labels and the text generation of empathic responses. However, regarding emotion reasoning, other approaches like DBT and PCT showed higher performance in emotion reaction classification. We further conducted qualitative analysis and alignment scoring of each prompt-generated output. The findings underscore the importance of understanding the emotional context and how it affects human-AI communication. Our research contributes to understanding how psychotherapy models can be incorporated into LLMs, facilitating the development of context-aware, safe, and empathically responsive AI.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.80-89
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• 2011

Pavlovian fear conditioning has been extensively studied for the understanding of neurobiological basis of memory and emotion. Pavlovian fear conditioning is an associative memory which forms when conditioned stimulus (CS) is paired with unconditioned stimulus (US) once or repeatedly. This behavioral model is also important for the understanding of anxiety disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder. Here we describe the neural circuitry involved in fear conditioning and the molecular mechanisms underlying fear memory formation. During consolidation some memories fade out but other memories become stable and concrete. Emotion plays an important role in determining which memories will survive. Memory becomes unstable and editable again immediately after retrieval. It opens the possibility for us of modulating the established fear memory. It provides us with very efficient tools to improve the efficacy of cognitive-behavior therapy and other exposure-based therapy treating anxiety disorders.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.84-86
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• 2016

Globus pharyngeus or globus sensation is the painless sensation of a lump in the throat and may be described as a foreign body sensation, a tightening or choking feeling. It is often associated with persistent clearing of the throat, chronic cough, hoarseness, and catarrh. Its etiology remains unclear ; however, laryngopharyngeal reflux may play a role in a subset of patients. Psychogenic problems have often been thought to cause or trigger the globus sensation. Personality studies have found higher levels of alexithymia, neuroticism, and psychological distress (including anxiety, low mood, and somatic concerns) and lower levels of extraversion in patients presenting with globus. Globus patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux exhibited weaker psychological symptoms than non- laryngopharyngeal reflux globus patients, and globus patients who did not respond to proton pump inhibitor had significantly higher anxiety scores. In cases with negative clinical investigations and consistent globus symptom, other treatment strategies, including speech therapy, antidepressants, and cognitive-behavioral therapy, should be considered.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.101-103
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• 2015

There are no standard consensus about treatment results and prognostic factors based on randomized trials for benign vocal fold lesion. Currently, voice therapy is the treatment of choice for vocal nodules, and laryngomicroscopic surgery is for vocal polyps. There are no strong evidences to support it, based on randomized controlled trials, But, it's just a consensus among laryngologist. Considering the pathophysiology of benign vocal cord lesions, cognitive behavioral therapy that corrects the patient's bad voice habits and improves their vocal hygiene could be most important factor for treatment outcomes.

• Journal of mucopolysaccharidosis and rare diseases
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.34-38
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• 2021

Prader-Willi syndrome is a complicated genetic disorder caused by a mutation on chromosome 15q11-13. The disease results in morbid obesity due to hyperphagia, growth disturbance, multiple endocrine problems from hypopituitarism, developmental delay, and cognitive or behavioral problems. Recombinant human growth hormone has been used to improve body composition and muscle mass, which plays a main role in treating patients with Prader-Willi syndrome. We describe previous studies showing the efficacy and safety of growth hormone treatment in children with Prader-Willi syndrome and provide treatment guidelines. Growth hormone therapy could be beneficial for children with Prader-Willi syndrome and improve their quality of life.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.88-98
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• 2018

Objective : The purpose of this study was to establish a school-based mental health intervention. The success of which was indexed by its effects on the social anxiety symptoms of the enrolled adolescents. Methods : This program for promoting mental health among adolescents in the community was adopted by three middle schools that volunteered to participate in the project. The program included screening for emotional problems related to social anxiety, depression, suicide, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Case management was provided for groups considered high-risk for depression, suicide, or post-traumatic stress disorder; cognitive-behavior therapy was provided for those at high-risk of developing social anxiety. Additionally, educational programs for the prevention of suicide, a "loving life" module, and mental health promotional campaigns were also included. In total, 1,100 middle school students completed self-report questionnaires. Twenty-five students in the high-risk group for social anxiety participated in a cognitive-behavior therapy program, comprising eight sessions, and conducted by two clinical psychologists. Results : Following the suicide prevention education program, suicide awareness among students increased and coping strategies were improved. In addition, the loving life program was associated with positive self-perceptions by many students. Furthermore, social anxiety symptoms showed a statistically significant difference after the cognitive-behavior therapy program. After the therapy, not only did social anxiety symptoms improve, depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation decreased significantly, while self-esteem and psychological resilience significantly increased. Conclusion : A school-based mental health intervention was successfully implemented in three middle schools and improved the mental health of the participating students. Therefore, this intervention could be widely implemented to promote positive mental health among middle school students.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.155-173
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• 2018

Chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) is an unwanted adverse event in any operation. It leads to functional limitations and psychological trauma for patients, and leaves the operative team with feelings of failure and humiliation. Therefore, it is crucial that preventive strategies for CPSP are considered in high-risk operations. Various techniques have been implemented to reduce the risk with variable success. Identifying the risk factors for each patient and applying a timely preventive strategy may help patients avoid the distress of chronic pain. The preventive strategies include modification of the surgical technique, good pain control throughout the perioperative period, and preoperative psychological intervention focusing on the psychosocial and cognitive risk factors. Appropriate management of CPSP patients is also necessary to reduce their suffering. CPSP usually has a neuropathic pain component; therefore, the current recommendations are based on data on chronic neuropathic pain. Hence, voltage-dependent calcium channel antagonists, antidepressants, topical lidocaine and topical capsaicin are the main pharmacological treatments. Paracetamol, NSAIDs and weak opioids can be used according to symptom severity, but strong opioids should be used with great caution and are not recommended. Other drugs that may be helpful are ketamine, clonidine, and intravenous lidocaine infusion. For patients with failed pharmacological treatment, consideration should be given to pain interventions; examples include transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, botulinum toxin injections, pulsed radiofrequency, nerve blocks, nerve ablation, neuromodulation and surgical management. Physical therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and lifestyle modifications are also useful for relieving the pain and distress experienced by CPSP patients.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.328-337
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• 2016

We examined whether wogonin (WO) improved hippocampal neuronal activity, behavioral alterations and cognitive impairment, in rats induced by administration of trimethyltin (TMT), an organotin compound that is neurotoxic to these animals. The ability of WO to improve cognitive efficacy in the TMT-induced neurodegenerative rats was investigated using a passive avoidance test, and the Morris water maze test, and using immunohistochemistry to detect components of the acetylcholinergic system, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB) expression. Rats injected with TMT showed impairments in learning and memory and daily administration of WO improved memory function, and reduced aggressive behavior. Administration of WO significantly alleviated the TMT-induced loss of cholinergic immunoreactivity and restored the hippocampal expression levels of BDNF and CREB proteins and their encoding mRNAs to normal levels. These findings suggest that WO might be useful as a new therapy for treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases.

• Journal of the Korean Medical Association
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• v.61 no.12
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• pp.758-764
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• 2018

Dementia is a clinical syndrome characterized by a cluster of symptoms and signs that manifest as difficulties in cognitive functions such as memory, psychological and psychiatric changes, and impairments in activities of daily living. As a result of worldwide trends of population aging, dementia has had a huge impact on public health in almost all countries. Disease modification therapies for dementia have not yet been developed. However, pharmacotherapy is essential in patients with dementia to combat delays in their cognitive and functional decline. In this article, we review the current pharmacotherapy for dementia. Three acetylcholinesterase inhibitors-donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine-and memantine are the only medications that have been approved for the treatment of dementia. We present the indications, dose recommendations, side effects, and criteria for National Health Insurance coverage in Korea of these medications for dementia treatment. Although the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in Korea has not approved any medications for managing the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, some antipsychotics and antidepressants have been studied and used clinically for those purposes. Clinicians may consider vitamin E, Ginkgo biloba extract, choline alfoscerate, or omega-3 fatty acids as additional treatment options. Non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, estrogen hormone therapy, and statins are not generally recommended for dementia treatment. We believe that our findings will aid clinicians in the treatment of patients with cognitive decline.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.194-201
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• 2021

Amputation changes the lives of patients and their families. Consequently, the patient must adapt to altered body function and image. During this adaptation process, psychological problems, such as depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder, can occur. The psychological difficulties of patients with amputation are often accepted as normal responses that are often poorly recognized by patients, family members, and their primary physicians. Psychological problems can interfere with rehabilitation and cause additional psychosocial problems. Therefore, their early detection and treatment are important. A multidisciplinary team approach, including mental health professionals, is ideal for comprehensive and biopsychosocial management. Mental health professionals could help patients set realistic goals and use adaptive coping styles. Psychiatric approaches should consider the physical, cognitive, psychological, social, and spiritual functions and social support systems before and after amputation. The abilities and limitations of physical, cognitive, psychological, and social functions should also be considered. To improve the patient's adaptation, psychological interventions such as short-term psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness meditation, biofeedback, and group psychotherapy can be helpful.