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Change of Dopamine Receptor mRNA Expression in Lymphocyte from Schizophrenic Patients.

Yong Tae KWAK ; Chul Hee CHOI ; Ok Jun KIM ; Yeon Ho JOO ; Hyeong Seob KIM ; Seong Suk KANG ; Min Seong KOO ; Il Nam SUNWOO

Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association.1999;38(5):1102-1118.

OBJECTIVES: Schizophrenia, commonly developed in adolescence and young adulthood, is one of the most common mental diseases in psychiatry. The etiology or pathogenesis of this disease is uncertain yet, but the dysfunction of dopaminergic system in the brain has been proposed. However, there is no direct evidence of dysfunction of brain dopaminergic systems in schizophrenic patients because the direct assessment of brain dopaminergic systems is almost impossible at present. To overcome this problem, recently founded dopamine receptors and their mRNAs in peripheral lymphocytes was used. The purpose of this study was to define whether the dopamine receptors of peripheral lymphocytes can be the peripheral markers of schizophrenia or not. METHODS: The total numbers of subjects are 87 schizophrenic patients. Among them 44 patients were schizophrenics who had been taking antipsychotic drugs for more than 3 years(medicated patients) 43 schizophrenics who recently are not taken antipsychotic drugs for more than 3 months(drugfree patients) For controls age and sex matched 31 healthy persons were enrolled. Sequential reverse transcription and quantitative polymerase chain reaction of the mRNA were used to investigate the expression of dopamine receptors in peripheral lymphocytes. The gene expression of dopamine receptors were compared in each groups and after starting antipsychotic medicines in drug-free patients, the clinical scales and the dopamine receptors of peripheral lymphocytes were sequentially studied before, 2 weeks after and 8 weeks after medication. RESULTS: 1)In drug-free schizophrenics, D3 dopamine receptor mRNA expression of peripheral lymphocytes was significantly increased comparing with that of controls and drug-medicated schizophrenics and D5 dopamine receptor mRNA expression was increased comparing with only that of drug-medicated schizophrenics. There was no difference between controls and drug-medicated schizophrenics. 2)After antipsychotic medication, dopamine receptors of lymphocytes were increased tendency. 3)Drug-free patients were divided into two groups according to dopamine receptor expression in controls to evaluate the significance of increased dopamine receptor expression. The group of patients with increased dopamine receptor expression had following clinical characteristics. (1)More severe psychiatric symptoms (2)Poor pharmacological response of pBPRS on medicines (3)Severe extrapyramidal side effects after pharmacological treatment CONCLUSION: These results revealed that the molecular biologically determined dopamine receptors of peripheral lymphocytes were reactive, and increased expression of dopamine receptor in peripheral lymphocyte had clinical significance for subgrouping and prognostication. These findings suggested that dopamine receptors of peripheral lymphocyte may represent dopamine receptors of the brain, even the location cannot be determined.
Adolescent ; Antipsychotic Agents ; Brain ; Dopamine* ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Lymphocytes* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Receptors, Dopamine* ; Reverse Transcription ; RNA, Messenger* ; Schizophrenia ; Weights and Measures

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Cerebral Functional Localization Related to Attentional Work in Patients with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Dong Won SHIN ; Dong Ho SONG ; Duk In JON ; Kee NAMKOONG ; Man Hong LEE ; Hong Shick LEE ; Sung Kil MIN

Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association.1999;38(5):1089-1101.

OBJECTIVES: The attentional deficit is a core symptom in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The major brain areas related to attention are frontal and parietal lobes. Abnormalities of frontal and parietal lobes in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have been reported in previous researches. But, most of the researches are based on comparing patients and controls while they are in resting condition. Further research on funtional changes related to performance of attentional task is needed to understand the attentional dysfuntion in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. In this study, the localized functional changes of the brains related to attentional task in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and the differences of them between patients and normal controls were examined. Also the effect of the methylphenidate on functional changes related to attentional task in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder was examined. METHOD: Quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) was applied to examine the fuctional changes related to attentional task. Subjects of this study consisted of 20 patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and 20 controls who were matched age, sex, handedness, intelligence. QEEG was recorded on eye open resting condition, and on performing computerized attentional task. In cases of patients, after taking of methylphenidate, QEEG was recorded on both conditions. RESULTS: 1)In attention test, normal controls had better scores in response time and variabilities of response time than those of patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder without taking methylphenidate. After taking medication, scores of omission, response time and variabilities of response time were significantly improved, comparing to scores without taking medication. No differences were recognized between the controls and patients with taking medication in scores of attention test. 2)In resting condition, spectral EEG revealed baseline activity levels of patients were significantly increased comparing to those of controls. 3)Analysis of delta wave revealed that amplitudes of controls were significantly elevated in parieto-occipital area during performance of attentional task. But in patients, localized activated area related to attentional task was not remarkable. 4)Theta activity of controls were significantly elevated in right frontal, right temporal, and both parieto-occipital areas during performance of attentional task. But in patients without taking medication, localized activated area related to attentional work was not remarkable. After taking medication, right frontal, right temporal, and both parieto-occipital areas were significantly activated. 5)Alpha activities of controls were significantly increased in parieto-occipital area during performance of attentional task, but those of patients without taking medication were increased in broad area. 6)Beta activities of controls were significantly increased in frontal area during attentional performance, but those of patients without taking medication were significantly increased in most of the brain areas. After taking medication, significantly increased activities related to attentional task were recognized in left frontal, and both temporal areas. Localized activated patterns similar to those of controls were recognized. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of this research, it is suggested that patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have increased baseline brain activity. In controls, brains showed localized response to a attentional stimuli, and functional changes related to attentional stimuli were recognized in frontal, and parieto-occipital areas. But, patients failed in showing appropriate localized activated response to attentional stimuli. It is concluded that frontal and parieto-occipital areas have some deficit responsible for the attentional dysfunction of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity ; Brain ; Electroencephalography ; Frontal Lobe ; Functional Laterality ; Humans ; Intelligence ; Methylphenidate ; Parietal Lobe ; Reaction Time

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Personality Dimensions of Eysenck and Their Relations with Sleep Characteristics.

Hyung Yung LEE ; Seung Hee KOOK ; Jin Sang YOON ; Il Seon SHIN

Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association.1999;38(5):1077-1088.

OBJECTIVES: In order to evaluate the possible relationship between sleep and personality characteristics, it is desirable to adopt the personality theory with biological basis because sleep is a physiological phenomenon. The purpose of this study was to investigate their possible relationship using the personality dimensions of Eysenck, which is well known as a biological personality theory. METHODS: Sleep Questionnaires regarding the weekday sleep habits and the sleep disorders and Eysenck's Personality Questionnaire were administered to 532 university students. Data analysis was based on 509 students who gave reliable information. Firstly, the descriptive statistics of the scores on four personality dimensions(psychoticism, neuroticism, extraversion, lie)and sleep characteristics were obtained. Secondly, the possible relationships between each personality dimension and sleep characteristics (the weekday sleep habits and sleep disorders)were tested by calculating Pearson's product moment correlations. RESULTS: The four personality dimensions' scores and weekday sleep habits of subjects were within a normal range. The highest frequency of sleep disorder was induction difficulty of sleep and the lowest was sleep walking. Psychoticism was positively correlated with bedtime, rise time, sleep latency, number of awakening, regularity of sleep, frequency and duration of nap and doze, frequency of sleep disorders, while negatively correlated with the quality of sleep, and the score of circadian rhythm. The correlations between neuroticism and sleep characteristics were similar to those of psychoticism. Extraversion was positively correlated with the quality of sleep and the score of circadian rhythm, while not correlated with sleep disorders. Lie was positively correlated with the score of circadian rhythm, but negatively correlated with sleep latency, regularity of sleep, frequency and duration of nap and doze, and sleep disorders. CONCLUSIONS: The higher psychoticism and neuroticism, the poorer sleep habits and the higher frequency of sleep disorders. The higher extraversion, the better quality of sleep and the closer morningness. The higher lie, the closer morningness, the more regularity of sleep, the less sleepiness of daytime, and the less frequency of sleep disorders. These findings suggest that there exist the close relationships between Eysenck's personality dimensions and sleep characteristics.
Circadian Rhythm ; Extraversion (Psychology) ; Humans ; Physiological Phenomena ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Reference Values ; Sleep Wake Disorders ; Somnambulism ; Statistics as Topic

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Effect of Sertraline on the Regulation of Serotonin Transporter mRNA Levels in Rat Brain.

Chang Yoon KIM ; Seong Yoon KIM ; Jin Pyo HONG ; Chul LEE ; On You HWANG ; Oh Su HAN

Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association.1999;38(5):1071-1076.

The knowledge of gene regulation of serotonin transporter mRNA may provide clues to understanding how antidepressants affect their therapeutic actions. Recently, the effects of antidepressants on the serotonin transporter have been investigated but yielded controversial results. To study this further, we performed in situ hybridization for serotonin transporter mRNA in rats(treatment group, n=5)receiving long term(14 days)treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibiting antidepressant, sertraline(10mg/kg, i.p) Following sertraline treatment, a significant(p<0.05)ncrease in hybridization of serotonin transporter mRNA was observed compared to that observed in vehicle-treated rats(control group, n=5) This result may be interpreted as a compensatory mechanism to reduce synaptic levels of serotonin which were increased by long term sertraline treatment.
Animals ; Antidepressive Agents ; Brain* ; In Situ Hybridization ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger* ; Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins* ; Serotonin* ; Sertraline*

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Factors Affecting the Severity of Depressive Symptoms in the Elderly.

Min Soo LEE ; Jong Won NAM ; Ji Hyun CHA ; Dong Ill KWAK

Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association.1999;38(5):1063-1070.

The depressive symptoms are frequent and important ones in the elderly population. We studied the various factors affecting the severity of depressive symptoms in the elderly population. The Korean elderly (more than 65 years old; n=490) in Seoul area (city) were studied on the identifying data and medical and psychiatric history, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) Korean Depression Scale(KDS: under development)were also administered. In our study, the significant effect of sex, age, education, marital status, and the status of medical security on the severity of depressive symptoms were not found. Significantly higher GDS and KDS scores were found in the elderly who have more than one physical illness, subjective memory complaints, and seven life events. To examine the strength of association of these variables of depression, we conducted logistic regression. Depressive symptoms were associated with 1)the loss of spouse, 2)a current physical illness, and 3)low socioeconomic status. These results showed that depression in the elderly may be correlated with the loss of spouse, a current physical illness, and low socioeconomic status.
Aged* ; Depression* ; Education ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Marital Status ; Memory ; Seoul ; Social Class ; Spouses

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Life and Development of Adolescents in North Korea.

Sung Kil MIN ; Woo Taek JEON ; Deok Ryong YOON

Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association.1999;38(5):1047-1062.

OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed to understand the life and development of adolescents in North Korea. METHODS: The authors interviewed North Korean adolescent defectors on the past life history in North Korea, and also collected information by questionanire from North Korean adult defectors on their views about the life and development of North Korean adolescents. RESULTS: The lives of adolescents in North Korea seem to be poor, tough, dry, and monotonous. However, familial bonds seem to be strong, which is contrast to the general impression that family is not important anymore in a socialist nation. Social pressure seems to be strong enough to force adolescents to leave home at an early age. The school education seems to be focused on shaping them according to socialist ideology and national policy. The social atmosphere seems to be authoritative and of patriarchy, probably influenced by traditional confucian philosophy. In general, filial piety for the father figures(including a national father, the late president, Kim Il Sung and the current leader, Kim Jung Il) altruism, social contribution, patriotism, and a moral socialist personality are strongly emphasized in education. The effectiveness of teaching methods mainly based on a punishment system and public criticism seems to be very limited in being integrated to true mature personality development. Recently, the life view and behavior pattern of adolescents in North Korea seem to be changing according to the severe economic crisis and expanding knowledge about the outside world. Particularly, their interest in making money is increasing with a parallel increase of delinquent behavior. Physical development seems to be delayed along with a delay in psychosocial development. Their cognitivefunctioning looks also to be delayed due to the uniformity of education andlimitations in intellectual and psychosocial stimulation. In contrast to the literal equality in the rights of men and women in socialist countries, girls' rights are usually ignored by boys. Establishment of psychosexual identity seems delayed and theopportunity for relations with people of the opposite sex seems to be limited. Rather, peer relationships with the same sex and group loyalty are considered to be more valuable. This group orientation seems to lead to national loyalty, loyalty for the Communist Party and eventually its leader in adult life. Pervasive violent political oppression seems to be the dominating social power. Whole social authorities(father, teacher, Party, nation, leader)seem to be power-oriented figures. Adolescents have been programmed to bow down and resign to oppression rather than to protest against it. And this compliant behavior has become stereotyped. Identity crises, which so often characterize the adolescent period, seem not to be so turbulent, develop later and finish early with resignation because of the limitation mainly inposed by the political status of their family origin. Ideological morality seems to develope in unbalanced form, related with school education and repeated stereotyped self-criticism. However, their daily lives do not seem to be really moralistic. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the life and development of adolescents in North Korea are different in many aspects from those in South Korea. However, compared with the individualism and egocentricism which are known to be personality characteristice of adolescents in South Korea, those of adolescents in North Korea, such as simple mindedness, compliant behavior, strong familial bond, group orientation and loyality and altruism, are considered to make a positive contribution along with a proper education for the future construction of the nation after reunification. These findings also suggest that mutual adaptation problem between people of South and North Korea after reunification will not be simple and both Koreans have to prepare themselves in advance for future problems through prior studies.
Adolescent* ; Adult ; Altruism ; Atmosphere ; Cooperative Behavior ; Democratic People's Republic of Korea* ; Education ; Family Characteristics ; Fathers ; Female ; Human Rights ; Humans ; Identity Crisis ; Korea ; Male ; Morals ; Personality Development ; Philosophy ; Power (Psychology) ; Punishment ; Self-Assessment ; Teaching

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Preliminary Standardization of the Computerized Standard Progressive Matrices in Korean Adults.

Kyoo Seob HA ; Han Ik YOO ; Seong Yoon KIM ; Jae Jin KIM ; Kyung Sue HONG ; Chang Uk LEE ; Jun Soo KWON ; Min Sup SHIN ; Min Soo LEE ; Byung Hoon OH ; Byeong Kil YEON

Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association.1999;38(5):1038-1046.

OBJECTIVES: We conducted this study to provide standardized data of the computerized Standard Progressive Matirices(SPM)test in Korean adults. METHODS: The computerized SPM test was administered to 353 healthy volunteers aged 18 years over. We provided the standardized data(percentile and standardized T-scores)for the groups with similar mean and distribution of SPM scores, which was originally divided by age and sex. The validity of the new standardized data was tested by comparing IQs estimated by SPM and K-WAIS. RESULTS: The standardized SPM data were provided for four age groups: 18 to 30 years, 31 to 40 years, 41 to 50 years, 51 years and over. IQ estimated by this standardized data tends to be closer to IQ by K-WAIS than the IQ estimated by foreign normative data. CONCLUSION: The standardized data of the computerized SPM were proven to be a useful and valid tool for measuring IQ briefly, compared with the conventional way of measuring IQ.
Adult* ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans

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A Standardization Study (I)of the Korean Version of Occupational Stress Inventory(K-OSI) Reliability and Validity Study.

Dongsoo LEE ; Ji Hee KIM ; Wou Sang HAN ; Jong Min WOO ; Dong Woo KANG ; Young Gun KO ; Byeong Gil YEON ; Eyong KIM

Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association.1999;38(5):1026-1037.

OBJECTIVES: The present study explored the reliability and the validity of our newly constructed job stress scale, the Korean version of the Occupational Stress Inventory (K-OSI) METHODS: Through preliminary item-analysis, we constructed 140 items of the Korean version of Occupational Stress Inventory (K-OSI) K-OSI consists of three subscales measuring three sections, 'ORQ'(Occupational Role Questionnaire) 'PSQ'(Personal Strain Questionnaire) and 'PRQ'(Personal Resource Questionnaire) respectively. The normative group consisted of 805 adult workers who represented six major job classes in Korea. RESULTS: The internal consistency coefficients of 'ORQ', 'PSQ', and 'PRQ' ranged from .89 to .92, and of those 14 subscales ranged from .70 to .88. The test-retest reliability coefficients of 8 week duration ranged from .62 to . 79, and bilingual's consistency coefficient ranged from .82 to . 96. The validity of the K-OSI was investigated by factor-analysis, yielding 3 factors of overall job stress and its responses, personal stress coping, psychological, physical, and behavioral responses of job stress. CONCLUSION: The present results indicate that the K-OSI is a reliable and valid measure of job stress.
Adult ; Humans ; Korea ; Reproducibility of Results*

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Development of Korean Auditory Verbal Learning Test.

Seong Shim CHEONG ; Jong Min WOO ; Eyong KIM ; Byeong Kil YEON ; Kyung Sue HONG

Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association.1999;38(5):1016-1025.

OBJECTIVES: The present study was designed to develop KAVLT (Korean Auditory Verbal Learning Test)and to examine its reliability and validity. The KAVLT is a modified Korean version of RAVLT (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test) The KAVLT assesses immediate supraspan memory, registration, retention, retrieval, recognition, learning strategy, and interference effect. METHODS: Final version of KAVLT was developed through preliminary trials. The KAVLT was administered to 75 normal healthy adults and 30 organic brain syndrome patients. Twenty-five normal controls were retested 3 weeks after the first trial to examine the test-retest reliability. The scores of basic and combined indices of KAVLT were compared between normal controls and patients. Factor analysis was done to investigate the construct validity. RESULTS: Significant correlations were found between the test-retest scores of most of the basic indices. Discriminant validity which differentiates organic brain syndrome patients from normal controls was excellent. In order to accomplish the structure analysis of the KAVLT, different sets of scores were submitted to factor analysis procedure. Factor analysis of KAVLT basic indices revealed 2 factors, 'aquisition' and 'retention'. In the factor analysis of KAVLT's basic and combined indices, 4 factors emerged: 'general learning', 'retroactive interference', 'proactive interference', and 'primacy/recency effect'. CONCLUSION: The newly developed KAVLT was found to be a reliable and valid tool for evaluating multifactorial assesment of verbal memory and learning in Korean subjects.
Adult ; Brain ; Equidae ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Humans ; Learning ; Memory ; Reproducibility of Results ; Verbal Learning*

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Results of 1998 Korean Depression Screening Day and Sociodemographic Characteristics of Participants.

Kwang Soo KIM ; Giu Ho JANG ; Jeong Ho CHAE ; Won Myong BAHK ; Chung Tai LEE ; Tae Yul LEW ; In Ho PAIK ; Seung Kyu BANG ; Sung Pil LEE ; Tae Youn JUN ; Sang Ick HAN ; Bo Moon CHOI ; Hyo Jin GO

Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association.1999;38(5):1006-1015.

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to analyze the sociodemographic characteristics of participants in '1998 Korean Depression Screening Day' and to evaluate the results of the screening test. METHODS: By using the survey results of 619 volunteers from 8 hospitals, the authors examined the prevalence of depression detected at the screening test and sociodemographic characteristics and the psychiatric treatment history of respondents. The assessment measure was the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale. RESULTS: The mean depression score of all participants was 57.5+/-13.8 and it came under mild depression. Of all participants, 69.5% (N=430)had at least mild depressive symptoms, 43.1% (N=267)had at least moderate symptoms, and 18.4% (N=114)had severe symptoms. Never have 56.8% of respondents in the severely depressed range and 63.9% of those in the moderately depressed range had psychiatric treatment. The results suggest that the age group of 29-year-old or younger (relative to 60-year-old or older group)and full-time employment status (relative to unemployment)are protective factors of depression. CONCLUSIONS: By '1998 Korean Depression Screening Day', many depressed patients were detected and their depressive symptoms had statistically significant relationships with some sociodemographic characteristics. The results suggest that the education and screening test programs for depressive illness facilitated by Depression Screening Day are useful to the patients regardless of being under current treatment or not.
Adult ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Depression* ; Education ; Employment ; Humans ; Mass Screening* ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Volunteers

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