1.Consensus Statement; Behavioral and Social Sciences in Medical Education
Chikako Nakamura ; Shin Hoshino ; Kazuhiko Okita ; Ryoko Michinobu ; Yoshio Kashida ; Nakako Mihara ; Hideki Wakabayashi
Medical Education 2015;46(4):349-353
The Consensus of this Committee is:
1) To change the name of the present committee from "Premedical Education Committee" to "Committee on Behavioral and Social Science" ; accordingly to discuss theoretical foundations, clinical application, learning objectives and outcomes of behavioral and social science in Japanese medical schools.
2) To collect actual case studies of teaching behavioral and social sciences in Japanese medical schools and create a database for such practices.
3) To develop behavioral and social science curriculum content in Japanese medical schools.
4) To organize training courses for teaching methods for behavioral and social science curricula and develop standardized teaching methods and materials.
2.Associations between physical strength, cerebral function and mental health in independent-living elderly Japanese women.
Kimiko HAYASHI ; Juichi SATO ; Nakako FUJIWARA ; Miwako KAJITA ; Michitaro FUKUHARU ; Xiaochen HU ; Kiyonori KURIKI ; Hideki HOSHINO ; Rieko KATO ; Shinkan TOKUDOME ; Yuzo SATO
Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine 2002;7(3):123-128
OBJECTIVESTo evaluate the physical strength, cerebral function, and mental health conditions in elderly persons, and to examine the correlation between these functions.
METHODSThe subjects were 151 independent-living elderly Japanese women, mean age 70 +/-5 years (+/-SD; range, 60 to 80 years), with normal abilities in daily life. The health check-up was conducted from April to May 1997. Physical strength was estimated by measuring seven activities. Cerebral functions were assessed by six sub-tests of the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB). Their mental health status was measured by four sub-scales of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ)-28.
RESULTSThe physical strenght and almost all of the cerebral functions decreased with age. Social dysfunction and severe depression on the GHQ sub-scales also worsened with age. Physical strength was strongly correlated with cerebral functions after adjusting for the confounding effect of aging. There were also interrelations between physical strength and mental health.
CONCLUSIONSThis study provided important information on the correlation between physical and mental status in elderly women. Future longitudinal studies with the intervention of physical training are required to determine whether a causal relationship exists between these factors.
3.Cervical dystonia in Parkinson’s disease: Retrospective study of later-stage clinical features
Hiroshi Kida ; Shiroh Miura ; Yoshihiro Yamanishi ; Tomoyuki Takahashi ; Takashi Kamada ; Akiko Yorita ; Mitsuyoshi Ayabe ; Hideki Kida ; Tomoaki Hoshino ; Takayuki Taniwaki
Neurology Asia 2018;23(3):245-251
Objective: Cervical dystonia (CD) is a clinically under-recognized symptom occurring at the later- to
end-stages of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The frequency of CD and its influence on prognosis have
not been well studied. Here, we conducted an in-depth examination of CD incidence and impact on
disease progression in later-stage PD. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical features of 22
deceased patients with sporadic PD treated at a hospital in Japan from 1983 to 2008. Results: The most
common cause of death in PD was pneumonia. CD, in particular retrocollis, was frequent in the later
stages of the disease in elderly patients (9/22, 40.9%). Pneumonia incidence increased sharply in the
later period with CD. There was a positive trend between CD duration and duration of pergolide use.
Conclusion: Analysis revealed that CD increases markedly in late- to end-stage PD, which may be
associated with aspiration pneumonia due to dysphagia. Pathological mechanisms underlying CD might
be influenced by treatments including dopamine agonists. Prevention of CD may increase quality of
life and prolong survival of PD patients.