• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.32-39
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• 2012

Objective : Psychiatry in North Korea is believed to seem very different from psychiatry in South Korea. However, there is nearly no information regarding psychiatry in North Korea until now. Our study aimed to get information about North Korean psychiatry. Methods : Three North Korean defectors in South Korea, whose clinical experience as medical doctors in North Korea was over 10 years, were recruited. They underwent the semi-structured interview, content of which included the clinical experience with psychiatric patients, the details of psychiatry, the treatment of psychiatric patients, the stigma of mental illness, and the suicide, in North Korea. Results : In North Korea, psychiatric department was called as 49th(pronounced as Sahsip-gu-ho in Korean). Only patients with vivid psychotic symptoms came to psychiatric department. Non-psychotic depression or anxiety disorders usually were not dealt in psychiatry. The etiology of mental illness seemed to be confined to biological factors including genetic predisposition. Psychosocial or psychodynamic factors as etiology of mental illness appeared to be ignored. Psychiatry was apparently separated from political or ideological issues. The mainstay of psychiatric treatment is the inpatient admission and out-of-date therapy such as insulin coma therapy. Stigma over mental illness was common in North Korea. Suicide is considered as a betrayal to his/her nation, and has been reported to be very rare. Conclusion : The situation of psychiatry in North Korea is largely different from that of South Korea. Although some aspects of North Korean psychiatry are similar to psychiatry in former socialist countries, North Korean psychiatry is considered to have also its unique characteristics.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.309-318
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• 2024

Background: Sleep disorders in menopausal women can act as a factor that lowers the quality of life. This study aims to understand the effects of mental health, such as depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and stress, on sleep duration in menopausal women to contribute to the management of their mental health. Methods: Using data from the 2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, we conducted a study on 549 naturally menopausal women aged 50-64 years. We applied frequency and weighted percentages, Rao-Scott chi-square tests, and logistic regression. Results: It was found that women with a university degree or higher had appropriate sleep duration (odds ratio [OR], 0.33; p=0.004). Women with mild depression were less likely to have appropriate sleep compared to those without depression (OR, 2.13; p=0.025). Additionally, women who experienced high levels of stress were less likely to have appropriate sleep compared to those with minimal stress (OR, 2.73; p=0.041). Conclusion: Depression and stress are related to sleep duration, and these mental health issues can lead to physiological problems due to their complex experiences. Therefore, individual attention and management of mental health are crucial, and it seems necessary to develop community-based treatment and prevention strategies.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.153-163
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• 2001

This study was attempted to investigate the discriminant validity of Korean version of Eating Attitude Test-26(KEAT-26) and to provide the sensitivity, specificity and efficiency according to cutting score, which may be useful to determine the optimal cutoff point on various purposes. The KEAT-26 was administered to 108 female patients with eating disorders, 179 female participants in body slimming center, 120 female athletic college students, 227 female college students, and 183 healthy normal women. Validity was tested by ANOVA and ROC curve analysis. The results revealed that the total score of the KEAT-26 showed a statistically significance between groups and that the score of the KEAT-26 of eating disorders group was significantly higher than that of the other groups in post hoc test. In comparison of the 4 subfactor score of the KEAT-26 between groups, significant differences in main effect within groups were found in all subfactors except factor IV. ROC curve analysis showed 80% of efficiency to discriminate eating disorders group from normal control group using cutoff score on maximum discriminant efficiency and 69% of efficiency to discriminate eating disorders group from high risk groups for eating disorders. Each cutoff score on maximum in efficiency was as follows ; 25 between eating disorders group and participants in body slimming center, 19 between eating disorders group and healthy normal woman, 23 between eating disorders group and athletic college students, 21 between eating disorders group and college students. Using 22(T score 65) of the KEAT-26 as the cutoff score, sensitivity was 54%, specificity was 84%, and overall efficiency was 80%. These results indicate that the KEAT-26 has a good discriminant validity in Korean population and also suggest that the KEAT-26 may be useful assessment tool to screen the disordered eating problems on clinical and epidemiological purposes.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.17-30
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• 1994

Several different classes of antidepressants(ADs) with newer drugs becoming available have been used for the phamacological management of a broad spectrum of mental disorders, among which depressive disorder is most commonly indicated. Successful clinical use of ADs requires a complete understanding of the psychopharmacological properties of ADs and on accurate knowledge of patients, characteristics based on clinical experience and theoretical framework. This paper aims at providing some practical information on the clinical use of ADs to assist clinicians in treating patients with major depression. The author describes (1) different classes of ADs and their presumed mechanisms of action, (2) clinical characteristics of ADs focusing on side-effect profiles, (3) some issues arising during the treatment course such as : a) pretreatment tasks, b) choice of ADs, c) therapeutic drug dose and monitoring of drug concentration, d) three stages of treatment and e) strategies in refractory depression and (4) ADs in special patient groups.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.81-84
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• 2009

Septo-optic dysplasia is a rare congenital disorder characterized by the absence of the septum pallucidum, hypoplasia of the optic chiasma and nerves, and various types of hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction. Schizencephaly is an abnormal cleft in the brain, lined with gray matter which may communicate with the ventricular system. Septo-optic dysplasia with schizencephaly is associated with endocrinologic disorders, visual impairment, mental retardation, and seizures. We report a case of septo-optic dysplasia with schizencephaly which was diagnosed in the early neonatal period.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.81-91
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• 1993

The consulting internist will encounter patients with psychiatric symptoms and those who take psychotropic medications in many settings. The internist must loam to feel comfortable interacting with patients who display psychiatric symptoms. while maintaining an open and unprejudiced attitude toward their evaluation. The proper delineation of psychiatric disorders from normal emotional reactions resets on a careful history, a mental status evaluation. and a knowledge of psychiatric syndromes. Many physicians tend erroneously to view behavioral changes only in a psychological framework Abrupt changes in behavior, personality, mood. or ability to function should be evaluated for possible organic causes. Then, the internists should take their consultation to psychiatrists and freely discuss psychologic problems of the patients.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.141-146
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• 2010

This summary of literature during the past year reviews published studies relating to risk factors for depressive disorders in children and adolescents. Risk factors include environmental toxins, socio-environmental, and genetic factors. As depression has a complex, multifactorial causal mechanism, it is likely that the accumulation and/ or interaction among multiple risk factors lead to depression. Findings related to the result of toxin exposure have been difficult to interpret given that risk factors tend to interact and that higher mental functions are not easily measurable. However, some findings have been consistent. Clinical research data has also shown that the risk for negative outcomes may be modified both by genetic and environmental factors through a gene environment interplay mechanism.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.237-243
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• 2006

Dementia is a syndrome characterized by a decline in multiple fields of cognitive domains. One of etiology of dementia is cerebrovascular disease. This is a case of multi-infarct dementia(MID) patient with functional mental disorders. The patient was treated with scalp acupuncture. After treatment, improvement was seen in cognitive domains.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.66-73
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• 2004

There has been preconceived assumption that, in good architecture, exterior and interior have to be harmoniously related to each other. However, in contemporary architecture, it is easy to witness that this harmonious relationship between exterior and intoner is severely challenged and various exterior surfaces have multi-faceted roles. Rem Koolhaas explained this sort of new situation in the light of 'lobotomy' that is a surgical method for mental disorders, based on the high-rise buildings in the early Manhattan. This study is started with the Rem Koolhaas' lobotomy concept and how this concept is applied to his projects. The multiple roles of exterior surface can be also found in many contemporary architects' projects. Among them, Jacques Herzog & Pierre do Neuron and Toyo Ito's recent projects are discussed to further analyze the new roles of surface and compared with Rem Koolhaas' case. Although the architects discussed present very limited scope of what is happening on the surface of comtemporary architecture, it is hoped to disclose some examples of new relationship between exterior and interior.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.85-94
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• 2014

Non-pharmacological treatments have long been used for paraphilia or sexual offenders, but few clinical studies were conducted. However, recently there were issued cognitive behavioral therapy of paraphilia or sexual offenders based on the research findings obtained so far. In addition, there were the changes of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder by American Psychiatric Association at 2014. The methods of cognitive behavioral therapy for paraphilia or sexual offenders were electric aversion therapy, olfactory aversion therapy, ammonia aversion therapy, covert sensitization, masturbatory reconditioning, directed masturbation, verbal satiation, social skill training, assertiveness training etc. By synthesizing the newly reported foreign guidelines for treatment and review articles, the aim of this study is to investigate the non-pharmacologic therapies used for treatment of paraphilia or sexual offenders.