Hee Yeon Jung

The clinical characteristics of the spatial location of auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs) has shown inconsistent results. This study compared AVHs char

Objective This study aimed to investigate the neurophysiological characteristics of panic disorder (PD) by analyzing quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) data, with a particular focus on high beta activity.Methods In this retrospective study, resting-state QEEG data from 58 patients with PD and 23 healthy controls (HC) were analyzed. Spectral power was calculated for delta (1–4 Hz), theta (4–8 Hz), alpha (8–12 Hz), beta (12–25 Hz), and high beta (25–30 Hz) bands across frontal, central, and posterior regions. Group differences were assessed using generalized estimating equations, and Pearson correlation analyses were conducted to examine associations between electroencephalography activity and clinical symptoms.Results PD patients showed significantly higher high beta power across all regions compared to HC (frontal: estimate=1.276, χ²=12.48, p<0.0010; central: estimate=0.874, χ²=9.87, p=0.0017; posterior: estimate=0.524, χ²=4.48, p=0.0343). Beta power was elevated only in the frontal region (estimate=3.391, χ²=5.31, p=0.0212), while delta power was increased overall (χ²=4.60, p=0.0390) without regional specificity. No significant group differences were observed in alpha or theta bands. A significant positive correlation was found between frontal high beta power and Panic Disorder Severity Scale scores (r=0.41, p=0.010), while no other significant correlations were observed between regional high beta power and clinical scales.Conclusion Increased high beta, beta, and delta activity in PD may reflect a neurophysiological imbalance. In particular, elevated high beta power may indicate hyperarousal and excessive cognitive control in PD, suggesting its potential as a future biomarker.

Song Y, et al. J Korean Med Sci. 2026 Jul;41(26):e68. https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2026.41.e68

Rhee SJ, et al. J Korean Med Sci. 2025 Jan;40(18):e66. https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e66

Objective This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of lurasidone (160 mg/day) compared to quetiapine XR (QXR; 600 mg/day) in the treatment of acutely psychotic patients with schizophrenia.Methods Patients were randomly assigned to 6 weeks of double-blind treatment with lurasidone 160 mg/day (n=105) or QXR 600 mg/day (n=105). Primary efficacy measure was the change from baseline to week 6 in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total score and Clinical Global Impressions severity (CGI-S) score. Adverse events, body measurements, and laboratory parameters were assessed.Results Lurasidone demonstrated non-inferiority to QXR on the PANSS total score. Adjusted mean±standard error change at week 6 on the PANSS total score was -26.42±2.02 and -27.33±2.01 in the lurasidone and QXR group, respectively. The mean difference score was -0.91 (95% confidence interval -6.35–4.53). The lurasidone group showed a greater reduction in PANSS total and negative subscale on week 1 and a greater reduction in end-point CGI-S score compared to the QXR group. Body weight, body mass index, and waist circumference in the lurasidone group were reduced, with significantly lower mean change compared to QXR. Endpoint changes in glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein levels were also significantly lower. The most common adverse drug reactions with lurasidone were akathisia and nausea.Conclusion Lurasidone 160 mg/day was found to be non-inferior to QXR 600 mg/day in the treatment of schizophrenia with comparable efficacy and tolerability. Adverse effects of lurasidone were generally tolerable, and beneficial effects on metabolic parameters can be expected.

Objective Auditory verbal hallucination (AVH) is a prominent symptom of schizophrenia causing profound distress. The influence of AVHs on insight appears to be intricate and contingent on other accompanying symptoms. This study investigated the relationship and possible mediators between AVHs and the degree of insight.Methods One hundred patients with schizophrenia participated in the study. Scales were used to evaluate the hallucinatory experience, the level of insight and other psychopathology. Complex relationships between variables were envisaged as a path model, whose initial structure was constructed via Gaussian Graphical Model. The validity of the final model was verified by Structural Equation Modeling. Separate analyses were performed for self-reported and clinician-rated data to enhance the model’s robustness.Results The greater the severity of the physical aspects of AVHs, the lower the level of insight observed. Conversely, higher emotional distress was associated with increased insight. These relationships were only evident in the self-reported results and were not reflected in the clinician-rated results. The path model suggested that the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) anxiety/depression factor was an important mediator that linked the found association. Notably, the PANSS negative symptom had the opposite effect on the PANSS anxiety/depression factor and insight, making it difficult to define its overall effect.Conclusion The findings of this study provided one possible route for the positive influence of AVH experience in gaining insight. The mediating role of anxiety/depression modified by negative symptoms emerged as a valuable concept for clarifying this intricate relationship.