This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of PTSD on memory funtion and hippocampal volume, and to identify major variables correlated to hippocampal volume and memory function. Thirty four Vietnam veterans were collected for this study, among whom eighteen were PTSD patients and sixteen were combat control subjects. The author used Impact of Event Scale(IES), Combat Exposure Scale(CES), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale(HDRS) and Beck Depression Inventory(BDI). Korea Memory Assessment Scale(K-MAS) was assessed for memory function. Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) was used to measure hippocampal volume. There were significant differences between PTSD and Non-PTSD veterans in IES, HDRS and BDI. Significant difference was found in verbal memory and total memory of K-MAS between PTSD and Non-PTSD veterans. There was significant difference in hippocampal volume between PTSD and Non-PTSD veterans. Short term memory, verbal memory and total memory were positively correlated to hippocampal volume. Hippocampal volume was negatively correlated to IES, HDRS, and BDI. These results suggest that PTSD severity be associated with hippocampal atrophy and memory dysfunction. Reduced or smaller hippocampal volume may be preexisting risk factor for stress exposure or the development of PTSD on combat exposure.
Atrophy ; Depression ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Korea ; Memory* ; Risk Factors ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic* ; Veterans ; Vietnam

OBJECTIVES: Posttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD) has devastating effects on multiple aspects of the quality of life(QoL). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to compare the QoL between PTSD group and non-PTSD group, and identify the variables affecting the QoL of the Vietnam War veterans. METHODS: We recruited 39 veterans with PTSD and 43 veterans without PTSD, all of whom had deployed to the Vietnam War. We used the Korean version of Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview-Plus, the Korean version of Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale, Combat Exposure Scale and the Korean version of World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment Instrument abbreviated version. We used independent samples t-test to identify the differences between PTSD and non-PTSD group in each domains of the quality of life. We also used stepwise multiple linear regression analysis to figure out the variables affecting the QoL of the Vietnam War veterans. RESULTS: In the PTSD group, all domains of the QoL and the QoL total score(p<0.01) were significantly lower than those in the non-PTSD group. In the Vietnam War veterans, PTSD, major depressive disorder and education levels were the variables affecting the QoL. Among these, PTSD uniquely explained the QoL of the overall and general health(beta=-1.411, R2=0.180), the physical health domain(beta=-2.806, R2=0.089) and the total score (beta=-11.479, R2=0.104). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that among the Vietnam War veterans, the QoL of the PTSD group is significantly lower than that of the non-PTSD group. Among the combat exposed veterans, PTSD may be one of the main reasons that affect the multiple domains of the QoL.
Depressive Disorder, Major ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Quality of Life ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic ; Veterans ; Vietnam ; World Health Organization

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to evaluate efficacy on symptoms and memory function of mirtazapine treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder. METHODS: Thirty Vietnam veterans were collected for this study, among whom fifteen were PTSD patients and fifteen were combat control subjects. We used Mississippi Scale for CombatRelated PTSD, Combat Exposure Scale (CES), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS). Digit Span, Paired Association Learning Test (PALT) and Rey-Osterrith Complex Figure Test (CFT) were assessed for memory function. We also evaluate HDRS, CAPS and memory function tests intervals of baseline, 2 week and 6 week in PTSD patients during mirtazapine treatment. RESULTS: There were significant differences between PTSD and Non-PTSD veterans in Mississippi Scale for Combat-Related PTSD, CES, HDRS and CAPS. Significant difference was found in memory function tests between PTSD and Non-PTSD veterans. PTSD veterans showed significant improvement in HDRS and CAPS at 2 week and 6 week during mirtazapine treatment and in memory function tests at 6 week during mirtazapine treatment. There was no significant correlation between symptoms and memory function. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that mirtazapine improve symptoms and memory function of PTSD. There was no significant correlation between PTSD sysmtoms and memory function.
Association Learning ; Depression ; Humans ; Memory* ; Mississippi ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic* ; Veterans ; Vietnam

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of risperidone on cognitive functions in chronic schizophrenic patients after 8 weeks of treatments and determine whether any improvement on cognitive function relates to improvement in psychopathology. METHODS: The subjects were 20 chronic schizophrenic outpatients, who participated in eight-week crossover study from conventional antipsychotics to risperidone. Clinical symptoms were assessed by Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Clinical Global Impression and Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale, while they were receiving conventional antipsychotic treatment. Cognitive functions were assessed by K-WAIS digit span and digit symbol substitution test, and vigilance, continuous attention, reaction unit, corsi-block-tapping test. Patients were then reassessed after changing to a new treatment of risperidone. RESULTS: After crossover from conventional antipsychotics to risperidone, positive and negative symptoms and the general psychopathology were significantly improved. The only item of Vienna tests significantly improved after risperidone treatment was corsi-block-tapping test. However, this improvement was not related to the improvement in psychopathology. Backward digit span score, digit span total score, digit symbol substitution score were significantly improved after risperidone treatment. But this improvement was not related to the improvement in psychopathology, except digit span total score. Digit span total score was related to the improvement in negative symptom score and PANNS total score. CONCLUSION: Treatment with risperidone appeared to exert a favorable effect on visuospatial memory and working memory, but long-term and larger sample replication study is necessary.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Cross-Over Studies ; Humans ; Memory ; Memory, Short-Term ; Outpatients ; Psychopathology ; Risperidone* ; Schizophrenia

OBJECTIVES: Idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is by far the strongest clinical predictor of neurodegenerative disease available. Several potential early diagnostic markers of neurodegenerative disease including autonomic symptoms have been proposed, but they have generally not been tested in presymptomatic neurodegenerative disease. So the authors investigated autonomic symptoms and their associated factors in idiopathic RBD patients. METHODS: 52 idiopathic RBD patients and 52 controls participated in the study. Autonomic symptoms were evaluated by applying the unified multiple system atrophy rating scale (UMSARS) and measuring orthostatic systolic blood pressure drop. RESULTS: Idiopathic RBD patients showed significantly higher UMSARS subscale scores and sharper drop of orthostatic systolic blood pressure than controls. In multiple linear regression analysis, all autonomic symptoms and measured orthostatic systolic blood pressure drop were associated with RBD. In addition, orthostatic symptoms were associated with medication and age, urinary function was associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia, and measured orthostatic systolic blood pressure drop was associated with hypertension. CONCLUSION: In this study, idiopathic RBD patients showed more autonomic symptoms than controls. However, other autonomic symptoms-related factors also influenced some autonomic symptoms. Prospective studies should be performed to evaluate autonomic symptoms as a potential predictor of neurodegenerative diseases.
Aged* ; Blood Pressure ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Linear Models ; Multiple System Atrophy ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; REM Sleep Behavior Disorder* ; Sleep, REM*

The subjects of the study were the 120 mothers who had children hospitalized in 6 hospitals in P city during the period from Feb. 1. to May 30. 1996. The purpose of the study are (1) the problem encountered when they carried out Home Care after discharge and (2) the degrees of demand that they had against Home Care Services. In order to investigate the purpose above-mentioned the researchers used the 55 items of Home Care services belonging to 10 areas selected by Korea Home-Care Association in 1994. The items were modified and supplemented to 4-point scale. The selected data were analyzed by SPSS:PC+ and the following results were derived. 1. The subjects payed great attention to 5 items such as "pain control, OPD visits, diet-control problems" among the 15 sources of anxiety that they had against Home Care services after discharge. Especially, "OPD visits and knowledge deficit" would to be overcome by the nursing activities of the Home Care Nurses. 2. The acknowledge level of the subjects to the Home Care Project that governmental plans to carry out was surveyed and found as under : 50.0% responded they heard about Home Care Nursing System. 60.8% said that they thought the system was "very necessary" and "somewhat necessary". 65.0% said they would like to use the system. However, the acknowledge level of 50.0% is still low and is thought to need further national promotion and propagation. 3. The demand of the subjects against 55 Home Care Services was investigated and found as

. "Assessment, Lab, basic nursing technology, relay & transfer, training & education and curative nursing" showed comparatively high scores. However, the items belonging to pediatric Home Care Services such as "umbilical cord care, breast=feeding, infant care, and post-parum care & loan of breast-pump" showed relatively low scores.
Anxiety ; Child ; Child, Hospitalized* ; Education ; Home Care Services* ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant Care ; Korea ; Mothers ; Nursing ; Child Health