Hyperglycemia Associated with Mirtazapine: A Case Report / 신경정신의학

Mirtazapine-a newly developed drug with reduce adverse effects and toxicity of original antidepre-ssants-has been known to have antidepressant effect by enhancing the transmission of norepinephrine and serotonin via blockade of alpha2-noradrenergic autoreceptor and heteroreceptor and to have common side effects such as sedation, weight gain, and dizziness. We report a case of 50 years old female depressive patient who developed mirtazapine-associated hyperglycemia during treatment with mirtazapine and returned to normal glucose level after stopping the usage of mirtazapine. In patients who receive drugs with the risk of hyperglycemia and diabetes mellitus, we should consider the evaluation for diabetes mellitus and follow it up carefully in the future.

A Psychopathology and Socio-Psychiatric Study of Delinquent Adolescents doing School Violence / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to identify the characteristics of school violence, self concept, psychopathology and psychosocial characteristics of male aldolescent delinquency doing school violence. And we hoped to use this result as basic material for prevention of school violence through comparison of those of students group. METHOD: We surveyed 725 male adolescents including 331 deliquents from educational program called "Big Brothers and Sisters" in Pusan. We used self-reporting questionnaire composed of demographic data and attitude to violence. In order to investigate the psychopathology and self-concept, we used Child Behavior Check List, Youth edit, Korean version(CBCL) and the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale. Statistical methods employed were Chi-square, t-test, two-way ANOVA. RESULT: The results show that in most demographic and psychosocial factor including age, education, socio-economic condition, religion and relationship with friends, there was no significant difference between delinquent and student group. And there was no significant difference between bully and non-bully in both group. The frequency of alcohol drinking and smoking were higher in bullying groups. For the feeling of watching violent mass-media, bullying delinquents reported more excited state than non-bullying delinquents in both group. On results of CBCL, subscales of delinquent behavior, aggressive behavior, externalizing problem, social scale in delinquent group were higher than those in student group. Subscale of somatic complaints, thought problem, attention problem, delinquent behavior, aggressive behavior, internalizing problem, and externalizing problem in bullying group were higher than those in nonbullying group. In both delinquent and student group, subscale of delinquent behavior, aggressive behavior, and externalizing problem in bullying group were significantly higher than those in nonbully group. In the results of self-concept scale, subscales of behavior, intellectual and school status in delinquent group were lower than those in student group. Subscale of somatic complaints, thought problem, attention problem, delinquent behavior, aggressive behavior, internalizing problem, and externalizing problem in bullying group were higher than those in nonbully group. CONCLUSION: In both delinquent and student groups, most psychosocial factors in bully group were not significantly different with those in nonbully group. Bully group was more influenced by internal psychic state, psychopathology and environmental factor than nonbully group.

Augmentation of Regional Cerebral Blood Flow Response by Repeated Administration of Methamphetamine in Rat / 대한정신약물학회지

OBJECTIVES: It was aimed to observe the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) response on methamphetamine challenge test in rats which were subjected to repeated administration of methamphetamine, and to investigate the mechanism(s) of changes in rCBF response in relation to the dopaminergic receptors and cyclic AMP. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats received daily injections of methamphetamine (0.3 mg/kg, i.p.) for 10 days, and were then allowed a 4-day drug-free period. Naive and methamphetamine-pretreated rats were challenged with topical application of methamphetamine on the surface of parietal cortex through a cranial window. The changes in rCBF were measured by laser-Doppler flowmetry. RESULTS: Acute topical application of methamphetamine dose-dependently increased rCBF with little effect on mean arterial blood pressure. The methamphetamine-induced increases in rCBF were significantly blocked by SCH23390, a D1-like receptor antagonist, but not by sulpiride, a D2-like receptor antagonist. Repeated administration of methamphetamine induced progressive augmentation of rCBF in response to the challenge of methamphetamine. Repeated administration of methamphetamine in combination with SKF38393, a D1-like receptor agonist, as well as with SCH23390 significantly attenuated the development of augmentation of rCBF response to methamphetamine. The augmentation of rCBF response was markedly inhibited by pretreatment with 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine, a specific adenylyl cyclase inhibitor, and Rp-cAMPS, a protein kinase A inhibitor, respectively. CONCLUSION: Based on these results, it is suggested that repeated administration of methamphetamine induces an augmentation of rCBF in response to the challenge of methamphetamine, and that D1-like receptor-mediated cyclic AMP plays a critical role in the development of augmentation of methamphetamine-induced rCBF response.