• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.55-74
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• 2024

Objectives: This study reviewed the status of adverse event (AE) reporting in VigiAccess using anti-obesity agents as examples and explored the possibility of its use and future challenges. Methods: AE reports related to some representative drugs among herbal medicines (HMs), complex HM prescriptions, ingredients of supplements, and over-the-counter and prescription medicines were investigated using VigiAccess on February 1, 2024. Results: AE reports on prescription drugs were overwhelmingly higher than those on HMs or supplements. Although most reports were submitted from North America, reports on Ephedra sinica and green tea extract (GTE) were more from Asia and Europe, respectively. The female population reported more, and the difference in the sex ratio was the smallest for Ephedra spp. The age group was concentrated on young adults, but many older patients reported GLP-1 receptor agonist-related AEs. Symptoms related to the gastrointestinal and nervous systems were most commonly reported, but mental and cardiac disorders were common in Ephedra-type HMs. Hepatobiliary disorders are also commonly found in GTE-related reports. Conclusions: VigiAccess was useful for easily checking the global status of AE reporting for prescription drugs. However, several limitations were observed in using VigiAccess for HMs because of the few reports. Thus, it is necessary to increase the number of reports by education and to promote AE reporting among HM prescribers and users. The full range of HMs should be included in the pharmacovigilance system, and the coding and classification of HMs should be revised.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.90-97
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• 2024

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the influence of depression severity, disease course, treatment status, and other factors on cognitive function in adolescents with depressive disorders. Methods: Participants who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study. Sociodemographic data of each participant were recorded, including age, sex, and family history of mental disorders. Zung's Self-Rating Depression Scale was used to assess depression status in adolescents. Moreover, P300 and mismatch negativity (MMN) were used to objectively evaluate the participants' cognitive function. Results: Only 26.8% of the adolescents with depression received standard antidepressant treatment. The latencies of N2 (267.80±23.34 ms), P3 (357.71±32.09 ms), and MMN (212.10±15.61 ms) in the adolescent depression group were longer than those in the healthy control group (p<0.01). Further analysis revealed that the latency of MMN was extended with increased levels of depression in adolescents. The MMN latency was short in participants with depression receiving standardized treatment. Furthermore, the latency of MMN was positively correlated with the severity and duration of depression (correlation coefficients were 0.465 and 0.479, respectively) (p<0.01). Conclusion: Receiving standardized treatment and shortening the course of depression can reduce cognitive impairment in adolescents with depression.

• 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.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.281-285
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• 2012

A previous animal study has shown the effects of erythropoietin (EPO) and its non-erythropoietic carbamylated derivative (CEPO) on neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus. In the present study, we sought to investigate the effect of EPO on adult hippocampal neurogenesis, and to compare the ability of EPO and CEPO promoting dendrite elongation in cultured hippocampal neural progenitor cells. Two-month-old male BALB/c mice were given daily injections of EPO (5 U/g) for seven days and were sacrificed 12 hours after the final injection. Proliferation assays demonstrated that EPO treatment increased the density of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)-labeled cells in the subgranular zone (SGZ) compared to that in vehicle-treated controls. Functional differentiation studies using dissociated hippocampal cultures revealed that EPO treatment also increased the number of double-labeled BrdU/microtubulea-ssociated protein 2 (MAP2) neurons compared to those in vehicle-treated controls. Both EPO and CEPO treatment significantly increased the length of neurites and spine density in MAP2(+) cells. In summary, these results provide evidences that EPO and CEPO promote adult hippocampal neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation. These suggest that EPO and CEPO could be a good candidate for treating neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety associated with neuronal atrophy and reduced hippocampal neurogenesis.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.141-150
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• 2013

Objectives : The objective of this report is to identify the utilization of hospital school service during hospitalization among patients in their childhood and adolescence with psychiatric disorders. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed the medical record of child and adolescent psychiatric who were hospitalized during March 2009 through October 2012. We compared the one-year successful schooling and outpatient follow up rate between users and nonusers of the inpatient hospital school service. The hospital schooling experiences of the users were investigated upon follow-up visits to the outpatient clinic. Results : Sixty-three students received hospital school service during hospitalization among total 122 child and adolescent inpatients. Hospital school participants showed a significantly higher school reentry rate (61.9%) than non-participants (40.7%). However, there was no difference on follow up rate between the two groups. More than 60% of the 22 interviewed participants expressed an above-average level of satisfaction about hospital school service. Conclusion : Many patients with mental illness experience difficulty in receiving school education during treatment. That induces deterioration in disease, academic failure, poor social skills, low self-esteem, economic difficulties, and future job opportunities. The results of this study emphasize the importance of hospital school service and offer useful guidance for hospital school operation.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.173-180
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• 2004

Over the last decade, EMDR(Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) has emerged as a promising new treatment for trauma and other anxiety-based disorders. However, neurobiological mechanism of EMDR has not been well understood. Authors report SPECT findings of two patients of PTSD before and after EMDR. Brain 99mTc-ECD-SPECT was performed before and after EMDR treatment. To evaluate the significance of changes in the regional cerebral perfusion, t-test was conducted on the resulting images using SPM99. In addition, clinical scales(CAPS, CGI, STAI) were employed to asses the changes in the clinical symptoms of the patients. After EMDR treatment, each showed significant improvement in clinical symptoms. The cerebral perfusion increased in bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and decreased in the temporal association cortex. The differences in the cerebral perfusion between patients after treatment and normal controls decreased. These changes appeared mainly in the limbic area the and the prefrontal cortex. These results suggest that EMDR may show the therapeutic effect through 1) improvement in the emotional control by increased activity in the prefrontal cortex, 2) inhibited hyperstimuli on amygdala by deactivation of the association cortex, 3) inhibition on past trauma related memory, and 4) keeping the functional balance between the limbic area and the prefrontal cortex. This case report needs further replication from studies with larger sample.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.79-87
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• 2018

Objectives Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is known to be related to stress and the serotonin-transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) that is known to be associated with stress and has been studied to affect various psychiatric illness outbreaks. We tried to examine the relationship between stress, 5-HTTLPR and IGD. Methods A total of 59 participants with IGD, diagnosed according to the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) criteria and 67 normal controls (NC) were enrolled. The IGD group and the NC were compared using chisquare test and independent sample t-test, and logistic regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between stress, the 5-HTTLPR, and IGD. Results The mean scores for anxiety, impulsivity and stress were significantly higher in the IGD group than in the NC. In addition, there was a significant association between stress and IGD [odds ratio (OR) = 1.172, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.008-1.362]. Conclusions This study showed that stress would affect IGD. Therefore, the evaluation and management of stress should be included in the diagnosis and treatment of IGD.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.128-133
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• 2007

Objective : Obesity has been considered to be associated with numerous physical, mental and psychological diseases. Depression, which is a major psychological factor affecting occurrence and treatment of obesity, can be a cause of obesity as well as can be triggered by obesity. This study aimed to find out the need of positive consideration to the existence of depressive mood in the management of obesity. Methods : A total of 101 subjects were enrolled among those who were 60 years old and over at one local clinic. Obese group (n=49) was defined as BMI${\geqq}$25 and normal weight group (n=52) as 20$5.2{\pm}2.5$) was significantly higher than that of the normal weight group ($3.8{\pm}1.7$)(p<0.05). In male subjects, there was no significant difference in the mean GDSSF-K score between both groups, but in female subjects, the mean GDSSF-K score of the obese group, $6.4{\pm}2.6$ was significantly higher than that of the normal weight group ($4.0{\pm}1.8$)(p<0.05). Conclusion : The elderly obese group showed higher depressive scale score than elderly normal weight group, especially in female elderly. Since the elderly obese female group had a depressive predisposition, comprehensive management including mental and psychological approach is required in obesity control programs.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.217-223
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• 2014

Objectives : This study was conducted in order to investigate the influence of sexual trauma on the psychopathology and quality of life of children and adolescents in Korea. Methods : Twenty-seven children and adolescents and their caretakers who visited the Kangwon Sunflower Center participated in a cross-sectional study. Participants completed the Korean version of Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Present and Lifetime Version, Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and Child Health Questionnaire-Parent Form-50 (CHQ-PF-50). Their scores were compared with those of a age and sex-matched control group of 27 healthy children and adolescents. Results : Victims of sexual violence showed higher t score in Withdrawn, Social problems, Delinquent behavior, Externalizing problems, and Total problems in CBCL, compared with control group. In CHQ-PF-50, there were lower scores on Bodily pain/discomfort, Behavior, Mental health, Time impact in parents, and Family activities subscales in victims of sexual violence. While Behavior and Family activities subscale showed negative correlations with Delinquent behavior, Externalizing problems, and Total problems in CBCL. Mental health subscale showed negative correlations with Social problems, Delinquent behavior, Externalizing problems, and Total problems. In addition, Time impact on parent subscale showed a negative association with Delinquent behavior in CBCL. Conclusion : The current study provided evidence suggesting that victims of sexual violence had a higher level of psychopathology and lower level of quality of life.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.197-212
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• 2017

Objectives: This study aims to supplement the limitations of the preliminary study and expand the use of the Child-Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale by providing standardized T-scores for measuring function in different areas, as well as guidelines for their interpretation. Methods: The Child-Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale and Korean-Child Behavior Checklist were administered to a total of 623 individuals, including 467 parents of emotionally and behaviorally disturbed elementary school students, 45 parents of emotionally and behaviorally disturbed middle school adolescents and 111 parents of elementary school students with developmental disorders, as well as to a control group consisting of 186 parents of mainstream elementary school children in the Seoul metropolitan area. Results: In contrast to the preliminary study, the emotional domain was disassociated into two factors, negative affect and emotion regulation, and the coefficient of determination for misconduct was increased significantly. Also, the overall reliability and validity of the Child-Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale were similar to those in the preliminary study, and the item structure was consistent. This study provides standardized T-scores of function in different areas based on the revised scale, and provides guidelines for their interpretation. Conclusion: The Child-Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale can assist the Child Global Assessment in Functioning in providing the information necessary for case management and treatment planning by comparing the impairment severity in each area of functioning, and also determining changes in behavior and function after treatment interventions. On the other hand, this scale has yet to clearly distinguish between rebellious behavior and misconduct. Further research is necessary to provide standards for more diverse age groups and for its utilization.