Psychosocial Aspects in Girls with Idiopathic Precocious Puberty

OBJECTIVE: Precocious puberty leads to discrepancies between physical and chronological age. The aim of the present study was to evaluate behavioral patterns and social competences in 34 girls with idiopathic precocious puberty. METHODS: Height, body weight, and BMI were determined, and pubertal development was assessed. The Korean-child behavior checklist (K-CBCL) was completed by parents. RESULTS: 1) Body weight and BMI were significantly higher in precocious puberty group than in the control group. 2) T scores of total social competence and school scales of K-CBCL were significantly higher in the precocious puberty group than in the control group. 3) T scores of externalizing problems and total behavior problems of K-CBCL were also significantly higher in the precocious puberty group. 4) T scores of thought problems and attention problems of K-CBCL were significantly higher in the precocious puberty group than the control group. CONCLUSION: Although girls with precocious puberty had more behavioral problems, no significant differences were observed between the two study groups in terms of clinically-important T scores. However, the concerns of parents and patients regarding behavioral and emotional changes might be most important when evaluating psychosocial problems. Early recognition, sufficient understanding, communication with patients and parents regarding physical developmental difference from children in the same age, can improve the self-image of those with precocious puberty.

Characteristics Related to Depression in Adolescent Conduct Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder

OBJECTIVES: Externalized behavioral problems are prevalent in adolescents, due to the difficulties associated with this developmental stage. Conduct Disorder (CD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), as well as other psychiatric disorders, such as major depressive disorder, result in the manifestation of many behavioral problems during adolescence. METHODS: For this report, we analyzed a sample of 31 adolescents, each of whom had presented with CD or ODD at Chosun University Hospital between 2002 and 2010. We separated subjects into depressed and non-depressed groups according to their Beck Depression Inventory scores (BDI or =10, depressed). Then we analyzed for neuropsychological differences between the depressed and non-depressed groups. RESULTS: In our sample, adolescents in the depressed group showed less of a stealing (deceitfulness and/or theft) behavioral pattern and presented with more anxiety symptoms, lower self-esteem, and greater sensitivity in interpersonal relationships, as compared to the non-depressed group. CONCLUSION: When adolescents exhibit disruptive behavior, clinicians should consider the underlying causes of the behavior.

Distribution Patterns of Calbindin-D28K and NADPH-Diaphorase Positive Neurons in the Midbrain Periaqueductal Gray of the Rabbit / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: We attempted to compartmentalize the periaqueductal gray (PAG) of the rabbit in terms of the different distribution patterns between NADPH-diaphorase (NADPHd)- and calbindin D28K (CB)-positive neurons. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescent labelling for CB and histochemistry for NADPHd were carried out on coronally-sectioned midbrain slices of the rabbit. RESULTS: NADPHd-positive neurons were selectively localized in the dorsolateral (DL), the middle one-third of the lateral (L), the dorsal half of the ventrolateral (VLd) PAG, and the supraoculomotor cap nucleus (Su3C). Clusters of CB-immunoreactive perikarya marked the dorsal half of DL (DLd), Su3C, the ventral one-third of L, and the ventral half of the ventrolateral (VLv) PAG. Double labelling for NADPHd and CB revealed that two markers labelled different neuronal groups in DLd and Su3C subdivisions. CONCLUSION: The present data suggest that NADPHd and CB can be regarded as reliable neurochemical markers to reveal the longitudinally-columnar organization within the PAG and to subdivide each columnar area.

A Case of Schizophrenia with Periventricular Leukomalacia on Magnetic Resonance Imaging / 신경정신의학

Schizophrenia was once known as a functional psychosis, a disorder with no structural basis. However, nowadays research has identified and confirmed many structural abnormalities in schizophrenia. One prominent such feature is the combination of ventricular enlargement and decreased cerebral volume. Periventricular leukomalacia causes cerebral palsy, cognitive impairment, visual impairment, and seizures. Recent studies reveal that periventricular leukomalacia causes ventricular enlargement and many brain circuit disruptions. Ventricular enlargement caused by periventricular leukomalacia is the most common pathological marker of schizophrenia. In this study, we report a case with periventricular leukomalacia on MRI findings in a 28-year-old schizophrenia patient. This patient showed auditory hallucinations and somatic delusions. We highlight the structural abnormalities, especially periventricular leukomalacia, in this case of schizophrenia.

Sleep Disorders and Restless Legs Syndrome in Alcohol Dependence Patients / 수면정신생리

OBJECTIVES: We review the sleep problems of the alcohol dependence patients. Especially we are interested in the prevalence, the severity of symptoms, anxiety, depression, and sleep quality of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in the alcohol dependence patients. METHODS: We recruit 86 alcohol dependence patients who were admitted from October 6th, 2008 to October 17th, 2008. We interviewed each patient and evaluated sleep questionnaires such as the Sleep Disorder Questionnaire (SDQ), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG) rating scale. The presence of RLS and its severity were assessed using the IRLSSG diagnostic criteria and the IRLSSG severity scale, respectively. Depression and anxiety were evaluated by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Beck anxiety inventory (BAI). RESULTS: Of all 86 patients, 59 patients have insomnia, 33 patients have RLS, 30 patients have Periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD), 29 patients have nightmare. RLS patients have more high score in the BAI (21.70+/-10.36 vs 14.67+/-11.98), and their sleep quality was poor in the PSQI (11.09+/-4.08 vs 7.92+/-3.91) than non-RLS patients. CONCLUSION: This study shows that alcohol dependence patients show many sleep problems such as insomnia and RLS. So we should notice that the sleep problems of alcohol dependence patients are important in clinical approach and treatment.