• 생물정신의학
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• 제7권2호
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• pp.115-122
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• 2000

The development of molecular biology has brought many changes in psychiatry. Molecular biology makes us possible to know the cause of mental disorders that provide the way to prevent the disorders, and to develop various accurate diagnostic and treatment methods for mental disorders. The author discusses the concept, cause, and treatment of mental disorders in the aspect of molecular biology. Importing the methods of molecular biology into psychiatry, we can anticipate to get a number of the goals of psychiatric genetics, including identification of specific susceptibility genes, clarification of the pathophysiological processes whereby these genes lead to symptoms, establishment of epigenetic factors that interact with these genes to produce disease, validation of nosological boundaries that more closely reflect the actions of these genes, and development of effective preventive and therapeutic interventions based on genetic counseling, gene therapy, and modification of permissive or protective environmental influences. In addition to their capacity to accelerate the discovery of new molecules participating in the nervous system's response to disease or to self-administered drugs, molecular biological strategies can also be used to determine how critical a particular gene product may be in mediating a cellular event with behavioral importance. Molecular biology probably enables us discover the environmental factors of mental disorders and allow rational drug design and gene therapies for mental disorders, by isolation of gene products that facilitate a basic understanding of the pathogenesis of these disorders. A specific genetic linkage may suggest a novel class of drugs that has not yet been tried. With respect to gene therapy, the hypothetical method would use a gene delivery system, most likely a modified virus, to insert a functional copy of a mutant gene into those brain cells that require the gene for normal function.

• 생물정신의학
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• 제4권2호
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• pp.272-278
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• 1997

Many investigators are trying to elucidate the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders on the basis of neuroendocrine responses to stimulation or perturbation. Dexamethasone(DEX) suppression has been the most widely utilized as the prototypical challenge test. Dexamethasone suppression test(DST) has proven to be valuable in diagnosing the depressive spectrum disorder. Reported specificity of diagnosis of depression is relatively high, but sensitivity is limited. Some researchers used the combination of dexamethasone and corticotropin releasing hormone(CRH) in order to improve the sensitivity. They reported that combined DEX/CRH test is more sensitive than DST alone. In this study the authors modified the DEX/CRH test, i.e., we administered the insulin instead of CRH. Total subjects were 28(7 normal controls, 10 manic patients, 11 schizophrenic patients). Subjects were taken DEX(1.5mg p.o.) at 11 p.m., insulin 16 hours later(0.1 unit/kg i.v.). Five blood samples for the determination of cortisol and ACTH were serially drawn at 15 minute interval. The results are as followings : 1) The cortisol and ACTH levels of manic subjects increased following insulin administration. Manic subjects showed higher levels of cortisol and ACTH than schizophrenic and normal control subjects. The cortisol and ACTH levels of schizophrenic and normal control subjects did not show gross changes. 2) The sensitivity of the test was lower than that of reported DEX/CRH test.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.347-354
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• 2015

Excess manganese (Mn) is neurotoxic. Increased manganese stores in the brain are associated with a number of behavioral problems, including motor dysfunction, memory loss and psychiatric disorders. We previously showed that the transport and neurotoxicity of manganese after intranasal instillation of the metal are altered in Hfe-deficient mice, a mouse model of the iron overload disorder hereditary hemochromatosis (HH). However, it is not fully understood whether loss of Hfe function modifies Mn neurotoxicity after ingestion. To investigate the role of Hfe in oral Mn toxicity, we exposed Hfe-knockout ($Hfe^{-/-}$) and their control wild-type ($Hfe^{+/+}$) mice to $MnCl_2$ in drinking water (5 mg/mL) for 5 weeks. Motor coordination and spatial memory capacity were determined by the rotarod test and the Barnes maze test, respectively. Brain and liver metal levels were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Compared with the water-drinking group, mice drinking Mn significantly increased Mn concentrations in the liver and brain of both genotypes. Mn exposure decreased iron levels in the liver, but not in the brain. Neither Mn nor Hfe deficiency altered tissue concentrations of copper or zinc. The rotarod test showed that Mn exposure decreased motor skills in $Hfe^{+/+}$ mice, but not in $Hfe^{-/-}$ mice (p = 0.023). In the Barns maze test, latency to find the target hole was not altered in Mn-exposed $Hfe^{+/+}$ compared with water-drinking $Hfe^{+/+}$ mice. However, Mn-exposed $Hfe^{-/-}$ mice spent more time to find the target hole than Mn-drinking $Hfe^{+/+}$ mice (p = 0.028). These data indicate that loss of Hfe function impairs spatial memory upon Mn exposure in drinking water. Our results suggest that individuals with hemochromatosis could be more vulnerable to memory deficits induced by Mn ingestion from our environment. The pathophysiological role of HFE in manganese neurotoxicity should be carefully examined in patients with HFE-associated hemochromatosis and other iron overload disorders.

• 한국동물번식학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국동물번식학회 2003년도 학술발표대회 발표논문초록집
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• pp.80-80
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• 2003

Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms, accompanied by marked cell death in the striatum and cortex. Stereotaxic injection of quinolinic acid (QA) into striatum results in a degeneration of GABAergic neurons and exhibits abnormal motor behaviors typical of the illness. The objective of this study was carried out to obtain basic information about whether parthenogenetic mouse embryonic stem (PmES) cells are suitable for cell replacement therapy of HD. To establish PmES cell lines, hybrid F1 (C57BL/6xCBA/N) mouse oocytes were treated with 7% ethanol for 5 min and cytochalasin-B for 4 hr to initiate spontaneous cleavage. Thus established PmES cells were induced to differentiate using bFGF (20ng/ml) followed by selection of neuronal precursor cells for 8 days in N2 medium. After selection, cells were expanded at the presence of bFGF (20 ng/ml) for another 6 days, then a final differentiation step in N2 medium for 7 days. To establish recipient animal models of HD, young adult mice (7 weeks age ICR mice) were lesioned unilaterally with a stereotaxic injection of QA (60 nM) into the striatum and the rotational behavior of the animals was tested using apomorphine (0.1mg/kg, IP) 7 days after the induction of lesion. Animals rotating more than 120 turns per hour were selected and the differentiated PmES cells (1$\times$10$^4$cells/ul) were implanted into striatum. Four weeks after the graft, immunohistochemical studies revealed the presence of cells reactive to anti-NeuN antibody. However, only a slight improvement of motor behavior was observed. By Nissl staining, cell mass resembling tumor was found at the graft site and near cortex which may explain the slight behavioral improvement. Detailed experiment on cell viability, differentiation and migration explanted in vivo is currently being studied.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.205-211
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• 1988

본 저자들은 44세의 여자환자로 3년전부터 발생한 경련성 발작후 의식소실로 간질로 진단 받은 후 항경련제를 투여받았으나 효과가 없었던, 금식검사에서 혈청 insulin, C-peptide, glucose, 24시간 뇨 c-peptide 및 선택적 췌장동맥 촬영술로 인술린종을 진단, 수술로 종물을 적출후 경련성 발작이 사라진 인술린종 1례를 경험하였기에 문헌고찰과 함께 보고하는 바이다.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• 제8권2호
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• pp.217-231
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• 1997

본 연구에서는 ADHD의 원인론에 대한 다양한 신경학적 이론들을 살펴본 후, ADHD 진단에 널리 사용되는 신경심리학적 평가방법들에 대한 국내, 외 연구결과들을 고찰하였다. ADHD 아동들이 여러 주의력 검사상에서 일관성있게 경계력, 지속적 주의력, 주의산만성, 주의력의 분할과 조절에 문제를 보이고 있고, 실행 능력과 작동기억외에 연합기억에서도 어려움을 보이는 것으로 나타났다. 이러한 신경심리학적 검사결과는 ADHD 아동이 전두엽외에 망상활성체계 등 두뇌의 여러 부위를 포함하는 신경망에 장애가 있을 가능성을 시사해주는 것으로 생각된다. 그러나 국내에서 ADHD 아동들에게 널리 사용되고 있는 신경심리검사들은 대부분 외국에서 제작된 것이므로, ADHD 아동들의 수행결과를 보다 정확하게 비교하고 해석하기 위해서는 ADHD와 정상 아동, 그리고 기타 소아정신과장애 아동들을 대상으로 그러한 신경심리검사들에 대한 연령별 규준 확립과 타당도 검증을 위한 한국 표준화연구가 조만간 이루어져야 하겠다.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.144-149
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• 2000

심인성 발작은 신경과 및 정신과 임상에서 가끔씩 접하게 되는 질환으로서 진성 간질성 발작과의 감별진단이 가장 중요하다고 하겠다. 특히 정신과의사는 면밀한 환자의 병력청취, 임상양상 관찰 등을 통하여 확진 전 단계에서 심인성 발작을 어느 정도 진단내릴 수 있다고 생각된다. 저자들은 11세 여아의 심인성 발작 증례를 경험했는데, 심리환경적 스트레스가 명확했고, 임상특징이 일치 했으며, 신속한 검사와 정신과적 중재에 의해서 좋은 결과를 얻었다. 본 증례로 볼 때 소아기 심인성 발작의 진단과 치료에 있어서 뇌파 검사 외에도 철저한 가족배경 조사 및 병력청취와 정신교육학적 중재가 중요하다고 생각된다.

• 생물정신의학
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.179-186
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• 2015

Objectives Adrenergic alpha 1 and 2 receptors work as pathways to control the serotonergic neuron moderation and mirtazapine acts as antagonist of these receptors. The adrenoreceptor alpha 1a (ADRA1A) gene, which encodes adrenergic alpha 1 receptor, has Arg-347Cys genetic polymorphism and the polymorphism has strong relationship with many neuro-psychiatric diseases. In this study, we explored the relationship between ADRA1A R347C polymorphism and mirtazapine treatment response in Koreans with major depression. Methods 352 patients enrolled in this study, and the symptoms were evaluated by 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating (HAMD-17) scale. After 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks of mirtazapine treatment, the association between ADRA1A R347C polymorphism and remission/response outcomes was evaluated. Results Treatment response to mirtazapine was significantly better in T allele carriers than C allele homozygotes after 12 weeks of mirtazapine monotherapy. The percentile decline of HAMD-17 score in T allele carriers was larger than that of C allele homozygotes. ADRA1A R347C genotypes were not significantly associated with remission. Conclusions The result showed that treatment response to mirtazapine was significantly associated with ADRA1A R347C genetic polymorphism. T allele carriers showed better treatment response than C allele homozygotes. It can be supposed that T allele carriers have a trend of better treatment response to mirtazapine monotherapy.

• 생물정신의학
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.198-204
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• 2009

Objectives : Schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorder are associated with an increased risk of premature death. For decades, there have been reports of shorter life expectancy among those with severe mental illness. The purpose of this study was to compare the risk of mortality among institutionalized population, treated for severe mental illness to control group who did not have severe mental illness. Methods : The medical records and the death certificates of 2,029 institutionalized population who had died from 1985 to 2003 in Kkottongnae were investigated. Results : The mean age of the death of severe mental illness(SMI) group(51.4${\pm}$15.3 years old) was lower than that of non-severe mental illness(non-SMI) group(65.0${\pm}$19.3 years old) and it was statistically significant(p<0.0001). The most causes of death among the SMI group were respiratory diseases(23.3%), infectious disease (13.0%) and digestive disease(12.3%). Also, we found that the death due to injuries of the SMI group(8.9%) were three times higher than that of non-SMI group(2.5%). The most causes of death among the non-SMI group were respiratory disease(26.3%), circulatory disease(26.2%) and neoplasm(10.8%). Conclusion : The SMI group demonstrated higher mortality rates compared with the rate in the non-SMI group. The finding suggests that careful intervention is needed not only for menal health but also physical health in long-term facilities.

• 대한불안의학회지
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• 제10권2호
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• pp.170-175
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• 2014

Objective : The aims of this study was to evaluate relationship between body dissatisfaction, personality characteristic, and stress in young adults. Methods : One hundred and ninety five young, healthy, and normal participants filled out all 3 types of self-reported questionnaire, the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Examination-Self Report (Korean version of BDDE-SR ; K-BDDE-SR), Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) and Stress Scale of Korean version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (K-DASS-21). Results : Out of the 195 participants, 30% (n=59) was male and 70% (n=136) was female. There was no statistical difference between high K-BDDE-SR group (K-BDDE-SR score 75 percentile or higher, n=50) and low K-BDDE-SR group (K-BDDE-SR score below than 75 percentile, n=145) in terms of weight, height, and BMI. In high K-BDDE-SR group, neuroticism was significantly higher than low K-BDDE-SR group, and extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness were significantly lower than low K-BDDE-SR group. Also, level of stress in high K-BDDE-SR group was significantly higher than low K-BDDE-SR group. Conclusion : Our study revealed that individual's with more body dissatisfaction were more neurotic and stressful. Thus, body dissatisfaction and diverse psychiatric diseases should be considered in treating neurotic and stressful young adults.