OBJECTIVES: The short-term effects of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in the patients with catastrophic and intractable tinnitus were investigated. METHODS: Fifteen participants were recruited among patients with catastrophic intractable tinnitus to receive 1 Hz rTMS treatment. Tinnitus severity was assessed before rTMS and directly after sham or real rTMS using the tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) and visual analog scale (VAS). RESULTS: There was no statistical difference in the THI score before and after sham stimulation. However, after 5 replications of real rTMS there was statistically significant reduction in THI score. Eight patients showed a decrease of more than 10 in THI score. Patients who showed a vast change in THI score after rTMS also showed a large decrease in their VAS score (r=0.879, P<0.001). Duration of tinnitus and change of THI score showed statistically significant moderate negative correlation (r=-0.637, P=0.011). But in case of VAS, there was no significant difference between VAS and duration of tinnitus. CONCLUSION: Among total 15 patients with catastrophic intractable chronic tinnitus, eight patients showed some improvement in symptoms after 1 Hz rTMS. rTMS can be considered management modality for intractable tinnitus even with distress as severe as catastrophic stage.
Humans ; Salicylamides ; Tinnitus ; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is generally performed over the course of several weeks, as its theoretical and experimental validity has been identified in repetitive procedures. If short term application of rTMS is proven to be significantly effective, more effective treatment of tinnitus can be expected. This study was conducted to measure the effect of one session of sham rTMS & one real trial of rTMS in chronic unilateral tinnitus patients. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: rTMS stimulation of 1 Hz and 100% magnitude was given 1200 times per day to 33 patients with chronic unilateral tinnitus on their left side, between T3 and C3/T5, following the convention of the 10-20 International EEG system. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) scores were measured four times-immediately before rTMS, immediately after sham rTMS, immediately after real rTMS and two weeks after real rTMS. RESULTS: VAS and THI scores were found to show a tendency of declining. Immediately after real rTMS application, a significant decrease in VAS and THI scores was observed compared to those measured immediately before rTMS (p<0.05). The longer the duration was, the smaller the changes in THI and VAS scores were after a single session of rTMS treatment, a finding that is statistically significant (p<0.05). No significant changes in THI and VAS scores (p>0.05) attributable to the direction of tinnitus were observed. CONCLUSION: A single session rTMS is thought to be a possible adjunctive treatment for tem-porary relief of tinnitus.
Electroencephalography ; Humans ; Salicylamides ; Tinnitus ; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is associated with severe pruritus, but there are only a few effective treatment modalities. Previous studies have demonstrated that infrared light inhibited the development of atopic dermatitis. OBJECTIVE: This study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of StoneTouch(R) infrared device in reducing pruritus associated with atopic dermatitis. METHODS: A total of 92 patients with atopic dermatitis with mild to moderate AD were enrolled in the randomized single-blind, placebo-controlled study. Randomly assigned StoneTouch(R) or sham device was irradiated three times daily for 14 days trial. Efficacy was evaluated by visual analogue scales and investigator's assessments. RESULTS: Pruritus scores using VAS evaluated by patients revealed greater improvement in the StoneTouch(R) infrared treatment group. Assessment of treated skin lesion by physicians showed significant improvement of skin findings in treated group. Transient erythema and mild irritation on the treated site were reported in a few patients. These symptoms were diminished within 1~2 days of treatment. CONCLUSION: StoneTouch(R) infrared device is safe and effective in reducing pruritus in patients with atopic dermatitis.
Dermatitis, Atopic ; Erythema ; Humans ; Light ; Pruritus ; Salicylamides ; Skin ; Weights and Measures

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is associated with severe pruritus, but there are only a few effective treatment modalities. Previous studies have demonstrated that infrared light inhibited the development of atopic dermatitis. OBJECTIVE: This study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of StoneTouch(R) infrared device in reducing pruritus associated with atopic dermatitis. METHODS: A total of 92 patients with atopic dermatitis with mild to moderate AD were enrolled in the randomized single-blind, placebo-controlled study. Randomly assigned StoneTouch(R) or sham device was irradiated three times daily for 14 days trial. Efficacy was evaluated by visual analogue scales and investigator's assessments. RESULTS: Pruritus scores using VAS evaluated by patients revealed greater improvement in the StoneTouch(R) infrared treatment group. Assessment of treated skin lesion by physicians showed significant improvement of skin findings in treated group. Transient erythema and mild irritation on the treated site were reported in a few patients. These symptoms were diminished within 1~2 days of treatment. CONCLUSION: StoneTouch(R) infrared device is safe and effective in reducing pruritus in patients with atopic dermatitis.
Dermatitis, Atopic ; Erythema ; Humans ; Light ; Pruritus ; Salicylamides ; Skin ; Weights and Measures

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate motor excitability and hand function on the non-dominant side according to the polarity of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on the motor cortex in a healthy person. METHOD: tDCS was applied to the hand motor cortex for 15 minutes at an intensity of 1 mA in 28 healthy right-handed adults. Subjects were divided randomly into four groups: an anodal tDCS of the non-dominant hemisphere group, a cathodal tDCS of the non-dominant hemisphere group, an anodal tDCS of the dominant hemisphere group, and a sham group. We measured the motor evoked potential (MEP) in the abductor pollicis brevis and Jabsen-Taylor hand function test (JTT) in the non-dominant hand prior to and following tDCS. All study procedures were done under double-blind design. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in the MEP amplitude and a significant improvement in the JTT in the non-dominant hand following anodal tDCS of the non-dominant hemisphere (p<0.05). But there was no change in JTT and a significant decrease in the MEP amplitude in the non-dominant hand following cathodal tDCS on the non-dominant hemisphere and anodal tDCS of the dominant hemisphere. CONCLUSION: Non-dominant hand function is improved by increased excitability of the motor cortex. Although motor cortex excitability is decreased in a healthy person, non-dominant hand function is maintained. A homeostatic mechanism in the brain might therefore be involved in preserving this function. Further studies are warranted to examine brain functions to clarify this mechanism.
Adult ; Brain ; Evoked Potentials, Motor ; Hand ; Humans ; Motor Cortex ; Salicylamides

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the primary motor cortex on sensory and pain perception. METHOD: We measured the current perception threshold and the pain tolerance threshold with Neurometer? CPT/C in 14 healthy subjects (eleven males and three females, mean age: 25.0 years). Threshold testing was evaluated prior to, immediately after, 30 min after and 60 min after rTMS. The stimulation parameters were a frequency of 10 Hz and a field intensity of 100% of the active motor thresholds. Stimuli were provided in trains of 100 pulses, followed by a 50s rest period, 10 trains were applied in the session, resulting in 1,000 pulses in total. RESULTS: The current perception thresholds of 5, 250, 2,000 Hz were significantly increased immediately, 30 min after rTMS (p<0.05) and no effects at all were noticed after sham rTMS. The pain tolerance thresholds of 5, 250 Hz were significantly increased immediately, 30 min after rTMS and the pain tolerance threshold of 2,000 Hz were significantly increased immediately, 30 min, 60 min after rTMS (p< 0.05). No effects at all were noticed after sham rTMS. CONCLUSION: After high frequency rTMS over the primary motor cortex, we found that the current perception thresholds and the pain tolerance thresholds of 5, 250, 2,000 Hz were significantly increased.
Female ; Humans ; Male ; Motor Cortex ; Salicylamides ; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

OBJECTIVE: Several studies have suggested that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the right prefrontal cortex may be useful in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The aim of this study was to compare the effect of rTMS on the right prefrontal cortex with that of sham stimulation among patients with PTSD. METHODS: In total, 18 patients with PTSD were randomly assigned to the 1-Hz low-frequency rTMS group or the sham group for 3 weeks. Primary efficacy measures were the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and its subscales, assessed at baseline and at 2, 4, and 8 weeks. RESULTS: All CAPS scores improved significantly over the study period. We found significant differences in the re-experiencing scores (F=7.47, p=0.004) and total scores (F=6.45, p=0.008) on the CAPS. The CAPS avoidance scores showed a trend toward significance (F=2.74, p=0.055), but no significant differences in the CAPS hyperarousal scores were observed. CONCLUSION: The present study showed low-frequency rTMS to be an effective and tolerable option for the treatment of PTSD. Trials using variable indices of rTMS to the right prefrontal cortex and explorations of the differences in the effects on specific symptom clusters may be promising avenues of research regarding the use of rTMS for PTSD.
Humans ; Prefrontal Cortex ; Salicylamides ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic ; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the effects of the long-term use of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) on rat prostates and testes as well as on serum testosterone and DHEAS levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty male rats aged 4 to 5 months were studied. A DHEAS suspension of 5 mg/kg per rat was administered orally to the 15 rats in the experimental group 5 times a week, whereas saline was administered concurrently to the 15 rats in the control group. Intracardiac blood samples were drawn to determine hormone levels, and histological samples of prostate and testes were evaluated under light microscopy. RESULTS: At the end of the 6-month study period, histological examinations performed on prostate preparations showed that the atrophy score of the experimental group was significantly lower than the scores of the sham and control groups (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). The serum total testosterone and DHEAS levels of the rats in the study group were significantly increased (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In our study, we determined that the long-term use of DHEAS does not have any detrimental effects on the prostate or the testis; on the contrary, it protects the prostate from atrophy, which is imperative for the continuation of fertility as well as for increasing serum testosterone and DHEAS levels.
Aged ; Aging ; Animals ; Atrophy ; Dehydroepiandrosterone ; Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate ; Fertility ; Humans ; Light ; Male ; Prostate ; Rats ; Salicylamides ; Testis ; Testosterone

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether or not pomegranate extract can affect depression, anxiety, and food intake in ovariectomized rats. METHODS: Seventy-nine female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six groups: A, no operation and no drug intake; B, sham operation and distilled water; C, ovariectomy and distilled water; D, ovariectomy and 10% dilute pomegranate extract; E, ovariectomy and 20% dilute pomegranate extract; and F, ovariectomy and 40% dilute pomegranate extract. Beginning 2 days after surgery, drugs were administrated for 4 weeks. After that, the rats were subjected to the elevated plus maze (EPM) test and forced swim test (FST). RESULTS: The 10% pomegranate extract had a lower % closed arm entry frequency in the EPM test. A pomegranate dose-dependent decrease in the duration of immobility duration in FST was shown. Pomegranate did not reverse ovariectomy-related hyperphagia and weight gain. CONCLUSION: Pomegranate extract improved depression and anxiety in a postmenopausal model with ovariectomized rats.
Animals ; Anxiety ; Arm ; Depression ; Eating ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperphagia ; Ovariectomy ; Punicaceae ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Salicylamides

PURPOSE: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of TENS on pain and pulmonary function of post-lobectomy patients with lung cancer. METHODS: The study data collection was done from February 4, 2008 to February 7, 2009. The subjects were assigned at random to the experimental group and control group with 20 subjects in each group. The experimental group was measured for pain and pulmonary function after surgery and then again after applying TENS 100 Hz frequency and 40 mA output for 20 minutes. The control group was measured the same as the experimental group except applying sham TENS. RESULTS: The pain score of the experimental group which had TENS applied revealed that there were more significant reductions than the control group which had sham TENS applied. There was no significant difference with the number of times of receiving analgesics between the experimental and control group. The effect of TENS on pulmonary function was significantly different between the experimental group and the control group on VC 2 hours after surgery. There was no significant difference between FVC and FEV1. CONCLUSION: The findings of the study indicate that the TENS is effective in easing the pain of patients after a lobectomy.
Analgesics ; Data Collection ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Salicylamides ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation