No abstract available.
Gastroscopy* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Humans ; Mothers*

No abstract available.
Humans

Estrogens have diverse effects on the CNS throughout the lifespan and do so via multiple mechanisms involving both genomic and non-genomic receptors. Estrogens affect not only the hypothalamus but also catecholamine, serotonin, acetylcholine and dopamine system including hippocampus, nigrostriatal, and glial cells. These systems are involved in a variety of estrogen actions on mood, locomotor activity, pain sensitivity, and cognition. Estrogens act primarily by classic genomic mechanisms through intracellular receptors to modulate transcription and protein synthesis. Estrogens also act via second messenger such as cAMP regulation, MAP kinase regulation and calcium homeostasis. These actions may be related to non-genomic receptors, the membrane-binding receptors, which are not well identified. Furthermore estrogens act as potent neuroprotective and neurotrophic factors by estrogen receptor dependent and independent mechanisms. There are some supports that estrogens are helpful for mood disturbance in reproductive-related conditions. Also inconsistent effects of estrogens on mood and cognitive functions associated with the postmenopause, Alzheimer's disease, and neurotrauma are reported. Based upon diversity of region and molecular mechanism of action of estrogens in the brain, much more research is required to establish guideline for using estrogen as a potential antidepressant, cognitive enhancer, and neuroprotective agent in the clinical practice of psychiatry.
Acetylcholine ; Alzheimer Disease ; Brain ; Calcium ; Central Nervous System* ; Cognition ; Dopamine ; Estrogens* ; Hippocampus ; Homeostasis ; Hypothalamus ; Motor Activity ; Nerve Growth Factors ; Neuroglia ; Phosphotransferases ; Postmenopause ; Second Messenger Systems ; Serotonin

Hemiballism-hemichorea is a rare movement disorder that presents unilateral flinging movements of the limbs. Recent studies pointed non-ketotic hyperglycemia as an underlying cause of this movement disorder. We report an elderly women with irregular, involuntary movement of the limbs after her uncontrolled diabetes mellitus was successfully managed by the control of glucose level. Characteristic magnetic resonance imaging findings and the management of this condition were discussed.
Aged ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Dyskinesias ; Extremities ; Female ; Glucose ; Humans ; Hyperglycemia ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Movement Disorders*

This study was designed to compare the relationships of premenstrual symptom patterns, stress perception, and coping style between women with premenstrual change and women without premenstrual change, using prospective methods. Fifty one women older than 20 years and in healthy state were asked to complete the Daily Rating Form and Daily Stress Scale(6-point Likert scale) during one menstrual cycle. They were also instructed to respond to the Ways of Coping Checklist. Fifty-percent-change method was used to identify women with premenstrual change, and methods of chisquare, t-test, paired t-test, and correlation were employed to analyze their responses. The results are as follow. 1) 47.1% of the subjects were classified into premenstrual change group. 2) No significant difference between women with premenstural change and women without premenstrual change was found in demographic characteristics(e.g., age, education, job, marriage) and menstrual characteristics(e.g., ages of menarche, regularity of menstruation, interval and duration of menstruation, amount of menstruation, dysmenorrhea). 3) There was no significant difference in coping style between women with premenstural change and women without premenstrual change. However, we observed relationships between some of premenstrual symptoms(i.e., depressed mood, lability, difficulty in concentrating, changes in appetite, being overwhelmed) and coping style, among women with premenstrual change during premenstrual phase. No association was observed between premenstrual symptoms and coping style among women without premenstrual change. 4) Women with premenstrual change reported more stressfulness premenstrually than post-menstrually(t=5.09, df=22, p=.000) as compared to women without premenstrual change(t=0.59 df=26, p=.56). Our findings suggest that, among women with premenstrual change, there exists significant relationship between premenstrual symptom patterns and coping style. Also, the ways stressors are perceived are likely to be affected by the menstrual cycle phase, only among women with premenstrual change. These findings are consistent with the state-dependent model of premenstrual syndrome. Therefore, we should consider stress management as an important therapeutic strategy for those with premenstrual change, because of their high vulnerability to stressors.
Appetite ; Checklist ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Menarche ; Menstrual Cycle ; Menstruation ; Premenstrual Syndrome ; Prospective Studies

No abstract available.
Anxiety* ; Depression*

BPSD (behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia) are common remediable cause of excess morbidity and lead to significant impairment in quality of life for both patients and their caregivers, as well as an increased risk of institutionalization. The most common treatment of BPSD is neuroleptic medication. Compared to other agents, conventional neuroleptics have been studied with relatively rigorous placebo-controlled trials. Efficacy is modest, but concerns regarding side effects, such as extrapyramidal symptoms, tardive dyskinesia, and emotional withdrawal, have often limited their uses. Treatment of BPSD with atypical antipsychotics such as risperidone or olanzapine is potentially advantageous in view of their tendency to cause considerably fewer side effects. But elderly demented patients may be particularly sensitive to untoward side effects of psychotropic drugs. The different atypical antipsychotics do have their own side effects and other limitations. Clinicians who prescribe antipsychotics for BPSD should start with a low initial dose, increasing this dose slowly until the lowest effective dose is reached. It is important to remember that although antipsychotics provide symptomatic relief, they do not cure underlying dementia. Clinicians should try to avoid prescribing multiple drugs with anticholinergic or sedative effects. Further study to determine more specific drug-responsive symptoms is needed to maximize benefits of atypical antipsychotics.
Aged ; Antipsychotic Agents* ; Caregivers ; Dementia* ; Humans ; Hypnotics and Sedatives ; Institutionalization ; Movement Disorders ; Psychotropic Drugs ; Quality of Life ; Risperidone

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the prevalence and functional impairment of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and premenstrual syndrome(PMS) in young women. METHODS: A total of 1063 female college students were recruited from two urban areas(Seoul and Suwon) of Korea. Questionnaires for sociodemographic data and risk factors of PMDD, attitude about menstruation, and the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool(PSST) were applied. RESULTS: The prevalence of severe moderate to severe PMS and PMDD were 16.9% and 11.7%, respectively. There were differences in the alcohol and coffee consumption, severity of menstrual cramp, and family history of PMS among the moderate to severe PMS, PMDD, and no/mild PMS groups. Although some participants did not fulfill diagnostic criteria for PMDD, they showed significant functional impairment. Participants with negative attitude about menstruation reported premenstrual symptoms more frequently than those with positive or ambivalent attitude about menstruation. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that PMS and PMDD were prevalent and associated with functional impairment in young females. Some participants reported significant functional impairments although they did not meet the full DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for PMDD. Negative attitude about menstruation was associated with more premenstrual symptoms experiences.
Coffee ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Menstruation ; Muscle Cramp ; Premenstrual Syndrome ; Prevalence ; Questionnaires ; Risk Factors

Stress can increase the risk of various diseases, exacerbate many medical disorders, and change healthy life-style behaviors. Therefore, effective management of stress is essential to decreasevulnerability to illnesses and to improve the quality of life. There is considerable evidence that mindbody interventions such as relaxation, meditation, imaginary technique, cognitivebehavior therapy, and biofeedback can be used as effective adjunctive therapy to conventional medical treatment for a number of medical disorders. The author will introduce the principles of stress management and briefly overview stress management methods and techniques.
Biofeedback, Psychology ; Meditation ; Quality of Life ; Relaxation