No abstract available.
Animals ; Heart* ; Rats* ; Wisconsin*

OBJECTIVES: In order to explore effects of board-game therapy for cognitive rehabilitation in patients with schizophrenia, we investigated the change of executive cognitive function over a 2-month period of board-game therapy in patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: Two groups of chronic schizophrenic inpatients were participated in this study. One group(n=21) were treated with board-game therapy for 2 months and the other control group(n=19) were not treated. For the evaluation of the executive cognitive function, a Wisconsin Card Sorting Test(WCST) was administered before and after the introduction of the board-game therapy. PANSS score change was also evaluated. RESULT: At the beginning of this study, there was no significant difference in performance of cognitive function tests, demographical data or clinical severity between both patient groups. After 2 months of treatment with the board-game therapy, the board-game therapy group showed significant improvements of executive cognitive function without any significant change of their schizophrenic symptoms. On the contrary, there was no change in control group. CONCLUSION: This study showed that a board-game therapy is effective for the enhancement of executive cognitive function in patients with chronic schizophrenia. A board-game therapy could be introduced with ease into psychiatric fields, such as inpatients' or outpatients' clinic wards and day hospital. Our result indicates that the board-game therapy is a promising tool for the enhancement of cognitive function, especially executive cognitive function and helpful for cognitive rehabilitation for schizophrenic patients.
Humans ; Inpatients ; Rehabilitation* ; Schizophrenia* ; Wisconsin

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the impact of executive function on the performance of two different affective tasks, the Facial Affect Identification Task (FAIT) and the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), in patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: Thirty-nine patients with schizophrenia and 33 healthy controls completed the FAIT and the IGT, followed by the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and the intelligence quotient (IQ) test. In addition to correlation analysis, regression analysis was used to determine the extent to which the performance of the WCST, in particular, perseverative error (PE), accounted for the variation in both the FAIT and the IGT. RESULTS: Relative to normal controls, patients with schizophrenia showed significant impairments in the IGT, the FAIT and the WCST even after controlling for IQ. While normal controls did not show any relationships between the WCST and two affective tasks, patients with schizophrenia showed that variables in the WCST correlated not only with the FAIT total correct score (r=-0.503, p=0.001 for PE) but also with the IGT net score (r=0.385, p=0.016 for PE). The PE score was a better predictor of the performance on the FAIT (R2=0.25) than that of the performance on the IGT (R2=0.15). CONCLUSION: Our findings imply that deficits in executive function in schizophrenia can affect performance on facial emotion recognition task more than performance on task based on emotion experience, that is, the feedback from the body. Therefore, more consideration is needed of the impact of executive function when interpreting the result of "conventional" facial affect recognition tests as opposed to interpreting the IGT.
Executive Function ; Gambling ; Humans ; Intelligence ; Iowa ; Schizophrenia ; Wisconsin

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this research was to investigate the differences of symptoms and neurocognitive functions with good and poor social functioning schizophrenic outpatients. METHOD: 152 schizophrenic outpatients were divided to good social functioning group(n=26) and poor social functioning group(n=126) based on the instrumental role of workers or students. Neurocognitive functions of these patient groups were compared with normal control group, which was composed of 30 healthy persons without a history of psychiatric illness. Schizophrenic symptoms were assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS). Neurocognitive function tests include the sustained attention, sensory register, executive function, concentration and attention, and verbal memory and learning assessed with Degraded Stimulus Continuous Performance Test(DS-CPT), Span Apprehension Task(SAT), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test(WCST), Digit Span(DS), and Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test(RAVLT). RESULTS: 1) No significant differences were noted in the symptom subtypes of PANSS between good and poor social functioning patient groups. 2) The poor social functioning patient group showed significant deficits in the sustained attention, sensory register, concentration and attention, and verbal memory and learning as manifested in the data of DS-CPT, SAT, DS, and RAVLT compared with normal control and good social functioning patient groups. But there were no differences in these neurocognitive functions between good social functioning patient group and normal control group. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that some neurocognitive deficits such as sustained attention, sensory register, concentration and attention, and verbal memory and learning may be more important factors than symptoms for social functioning in the stable schizophrenic outpatients.
Executive Function ; Humans ; Learning ; Memory ; Outpatients ; Schizophrenia ; Verbal Learning ; Wisconsin

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of attention level in normal children and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD) children on Continuous Performance Test(CPT) and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test(WCST) performances. METHODS: For this survey, the ADHD children were classified into low, medium, and high attention groups according to the attention level. Normal group of children, chosen for their same attention level as that of high attention level group among ADHD groups, was compared in their CPT and WCST performances with ADHD groups. RESULTS: The findings of the study were as follows. 1) the ADHD groups distinguished by their attention level;in other words, the low, medium, and high attention level groups;showed no differences in CPT performances. This means the unique cognitive deficit of ADHD group is not the character of attention capacity limit. 2) the ADHD group showed lower performances on WCST than the normal group, regardless of attention level. CONCLUSION: ADHD group have a deficit in the ability of regulation strategy, adaptability of attention, and non appropriate response, which are needed for efficient division of prescribed information processing. These results imply that the cognitive deficit of ADHD is a character which shows that the execution deficit, which is a higher cognitive function, is a cognitive deficit of ADHD group, rather than simple attention deficit.
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity* ; Automatic Data Processing ; Child ; Humans ; Wisconsin

OBJECTIVES: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD) is characterized by significant impairments in executive functions, with a prevalence of approximately 3-5% of all children worldwide. The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between executive functions and electrophysiological activities in children and adolescents with ADHD. METHODS: In 31 patients with ADHD, resting-state EEG was recorded, and Comprehensive Attention Test(CAT), Stroop Color-Word Inference Test(Stroop CWIT), Trail Making Test(TMT), and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test(CST) were administered. Korean version of the ADHD Rating Scale(K-ARS) was assessed. RESULTS: Alpha and beta power positively correlated with the Attention Quotient(AQ), while delta power negatively correlated with AQ from CAT. In the Stroop CWIT, decreased delta power and increased beta power were related to higher performance. Power of the alpha band increased with higher TMT performance. Moreover, delta power negatively correlated with good performance on the CST, while alpha and high gamma band showed a positive correlation. Correlation with the parent-rating of ADHD symptoms showed a negative correlation between alpha power and higher scores on the K-ARS. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that relative power in higher frequency bands of EEG is related to the higher executive function in children and adolescents with ADHD, while the association with the relative power in lower frequency bands of EEG seem to be vice versa. Furthermore, the findings suggest that QEEG may be a useful adjunctive tool in assessing patients with ADHD.
Adolescent* ; Animals ; Cats ; Child* ; Electroencephalography* ; Executive Function* ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Wisconsin

OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed to compare executive functions in patients with Organic Brain Syndrome(OBS), Schizophrenia, Depression and normal control group with Wisconsin Card Sorting Test Computer Version (WCST). METHODS: WCST was administered to 82 normal adults, 32 OBS patients, 29 schizophrenic patients, and 22 depressive patients. WCST 16 indices in four groups were compared, using ANOVA and posthoc comparison. WCST performance was examined by factor analysis on the 15 indices of WCST on total subjects and the factor scores were compared. RESULT: WCST 16 indices in mental disorders (OBS, Schizophrenia, Depression) were lower than those of control groups. Three factors were derived from the analysis. These consisted of 'perseveration', 'nonperseverative error' and 'inefficient sorting'. Comparing factor scores, differences in 'perseverative error' factor and 'inefficient sorting' factor were found. CONCLUSION: The impairment of higher cognitive functions, especially executive function impairment in OBS and schizophrenia, was qualitatively different from those of depression and normal control groups. WCST can differentiate specific pattern of executive function impairment in mental disorders.
Adult ; Brain ; Depression ; Executive Function* ; Humans ; Mental Disorders ; Schizophrenia ; Wisconsin*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of three-dimensional (3D) maximal intensity projection (MIP) reconstruction method in breast MRI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Total 54 breasts of consecutive 27 patients were examined by breast MRI. Breast MRI was performed using GE Signa Excite Twin speed (GE medical system, Wisconsin, USA) 1.5T. We obtained routine breast MR images including axial T2WI, T1WI, sagittal T1FS, dynamic contrast-enhanced T1FS, and subtraction images. 3D MIP reconstruction images were obtained as follows; subtraction images were obtained using T1FS and early stage of contrast-enhanced T1FS images. And then 3D MIP images were obtained using the subtraction images through advantage workstation (GE Medical system). We detected and analyzed the lesions in the 3D MIP and routine MRI images according to ACR BIRADS(R) MRI lexicon. And then we compared the findings of 3D MIP and those of routine breast MR images and evaluated whether 3D MIP had additional information comparing to routine MR images. RESULTS: 3D MIP images detect the 43 of 56 masses found on routine MR images (76.8%). In non-mass like enhancement, 3D MIP detected 17 of 20 lesions (85 %). And there were one hundred sixty nine foci at 3D MIP images and one hundred nine foci at routine MR images. 3D MIP images detected 14 of 23 category 3 lesions (60.9%), 11 of 16 category 4 lesions (68.87%), 28 of 28 Category 5 lesions (100%). In analyzing the enhancing lesions at 3D MIP images, assessment categories of the lesions were correlated as the results at routine MR images (p-value<0.0001). 3D MIP detected additional two daughter nodules that were descriped foci at routine MR images and additional one nodule that was not detected at routine MR images. CONCLUSION: 3D MIP image has some limitations but is useful as additional image of routine breast MR images.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Humans ; Imidazoles ; Nitro Compounds ; Nuclear Family ; Wisconsin

In order to evaluate whether Wisconsin Card Sorting Test(WCST) could be used to detect the vulnerability markers of schizophrenia, three groups such as offsprings of schizophrenic patients(n=28), offsprings of alcoholic patients(n=18), and offsprings of psychiatrically normal persons(n=41) were examined for their concept formation and abstract thinking by means of WCST.The results were as follows; 1) No significant differences were noted in all variables of the WCST such as number of totol administered trials, total correct response %,total error response $,perseverative response %,perseverative error response %,nonperseverative error response %,conceptual level response %,number of completed category,number of trials to complete 1st category,number of failure to maintain a set,and learning to learn among three groups. 2) There was no difference in the number of cases with extreme low WCST total correct % of lower 10% of the normal controls among three groups. These results suggest that Wcst could be an ineffective instrument for using to detect the vulnerability markers of schizophrenia.
Alcoholics ; Concept Formation ; Humans ; Learning ; Schizophrenia ; Thinking ; Wisconsin*

There are two kinds of cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia: one is a cognitive deficit, and the other is a cognitive distortion. Cognitive therapy addresses these two issues. First, cognitive deficit means the poor function of attention, information-processing and recalling which may be present as a primary or secondary symptoms. So, the correction of cognitive deficit is important in terms of the rehabilitation of schizophrenic patients and the prevention of illness itself in cognitive-vulnerable candidates. The treatment programs of cognitive deficit are as follows: attention skills training, letter recognition training, reaction-time task and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Secondly, cognitive distortion means the irrational thinking processes which occur to those who have a maladaptive schema. As a result of this, lots of psychiatric symptoms including delusions and hallucinations can be explained depending upon what types of schema and irrational thinking have involved. Specific therapeutic techniques are as follows: socratic questioning, peripheral questioning, agreement to differ, tactic withdrawal, alternative explanation, empirical testing and collaborative empiricism. Sound and good therapeutic relationships are essential to the success of cognitive therapy like the other therapeutic approaches. And if we practice cognitive therapy with a systematic manner and impatience, it will be an another valuable therapeutic tool for the management of psychotic symptoms.
Cognitive Therapy* ; Delusions ; Empiricism ; Hallucinations ; Humans ; Rehabilitation ; Schizophrenia* ; Thinking ; Wisconsin