BF-7 Improved Memory Function and Protected Neuron from Oxidative Stress / 체질인류학회지

Endogenously or exogenously generated oxidative stress impair organs, especially brain. Also, the oxidative stress appears to be a negative factor on normal brain function, like memory and cognition. Our result showed that BF-7, extracted from Bombyx mori, effectively diminished oxidative stress, leading to the protection of neuron from reactive oxygen species donated by FeSO4 . Clinical experiments showed that BF-7 significantly improved memory and cognitive functions of normal adults in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, our results suggest that BF-7 play a role in the improvement of brain functions by removing oxidative stress, and provide therapeutic potential role of BF-7 to protect nervous system from oxidative damage.

The Clinical Characteristics and Intelligence in the Adjustment of Schizophrenic Patients / 신경정신의학

We investigated the clinical characteristics and intelligence in the adjustment of schizophrenic patients. One hundred thirty-nine schizophrenic patients were selected among the schizophrenic patients admitted to the department of neuropsychiatry, Wonkwang University, school of medicine, from January 1, 1993 to November 30, 1996. The selected schizophrenic patients were divided into two groups, the one with over 60 of past year highest global assessment of functioning(PHF)(superior group) and the other with less than 60 of PHF(inferior group). Both groups were compared in clinical characteristics and Korean-Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale(K-WAIS) results at admission. The results were as follows : 1) The superior group showed significantly longer duration of education(11.9+/-2.9, 9.9+/-3.7, p<.01), shorter duration of illness(49.6+/-57.9, 93.9+/-70.3, p<.01), less admissions(1.9+/-1.3, 2.8+/-2.1, p<.01), less negative symptoms(3.2+/-1.4, 3.8+/-1.3, p<.01) than the inferior group. 2) The superior group showed significantly higher scores on verbal intelligence quotient (VIQ ; 90.5+/-14.5, 82.4+/-17.4, p<.01), performance intelligence quotient(PIQ ; 81.4+/-13.5, 73.2+/-14.2, p<.01), full scale intelligence quotient(FSIQ ; 86.2+/-13.3, 78.0+/-14.9, P<.01), the subtests of vocabulary(9.2+/-3.0, 7.6+/-3.6, p<.01), comprehension(9.2+/-3.1, 7.5+/-3.4, p<.01), similarity(8.6+/-2.6, 7.4+/-3.3, p<.05), digit symbol(8.3+/-1.8, 7.3+/-2.5, p<.01), object assembly(7.6+/-2.5, 6.6+/-2.3, p<.05), block design(7.9+/-2.6, 6.8+/-2.0, p<.05), and picture completion(7.9+/-2.2, 7.0+/-2.1, p<.05) than the inferior group. Finally, the patients with better adjustment showed higher education level, shorter duration of illness, less numbers of admission, less negative symptoms, and higher scores on VIQ, PIQ, FSIQ, and subtests of vocabulary, comprehension, similarity, digit symbol, object assembly, block design, picture completion. It seems that the superior group had better at the more complex function in the verbal intelligence and the ability of space in the performance intelligence than the inferior group.

Factor Analysis of K-WAIS in a Sample of Patients with Organic Mental Disorder due to Head Trauma / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the factor structure of the K-WAIS. METHODS: The sample was consisted of 138 patients with organic mental disorder due to head trauma. A principal component analysis was used worth varimax rotation. RESULTS: Two factors in a sample patients with organic mental disorder due to head trauma were abstracted from the K-WAIS by factor analysis. Variance of the two factors was 73.3%. And variance of factor 1 (verbal comprehension) factor 2 (perceptual organization) were 62.0% and 11.7%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Two factors in a sample patients with organic mental disorder due to head trauma were abstracted from the K-WAIS using the principal component analysis by varimax rotation.