COVID-19 pandemic has been found to cause disproportionately high morbidity and mortality, and social distancing has been recognized as one of the most verified way to protect the elderly population from the viral disease.
However, enduring social distancing created social isolation among the elderly causing psychological consequences such as depression and anxiety disorders. Various psychological consequences of social distancing and quarantine measures have been reported during previous viral outbreaks. For there has also been recent reports about social isolation and the psychological consequences among the elderly since the COVID-19 outbreak, it is important to consider and suggest the ways to minimize the mental health problems and promote well-being of the elderly population. This article aims to review mental health problems among the elderly population caused by COVID-19 pandemic, and discuss the suggestions to prevent the problems.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to quantitatively assess multiphasic personality inventory results of narcolepsy affecting mental health using military personality inventory in Korea. Method We registered the 19-year-old men who visited the Military Manpower Administration from February 2010 to January 2013. Results Among demographic characteristics, both narcolepsy and control groups are 19-year-old male. Education level and socioeconomic status are higher(χ2=4.23, p=0.04 ; χ2=17.94, p=0.001) in control group. BMI is higher(t=-3.10, p=0.002) in narcolepsy group. Parents relationship showed no difference between control and narcolepsy groups(χ2=7.57, p=0.06). Among validity scales, score of faking good subscale was higher(t=4.368, p<0.001) in control group, of faking bad subscale was higher(t=-2.497, p=0.013) in narcolepsy group, of infrequency subscale showed no difference(t=-0.466, p=0.642) between control and narcolepsy groups. Among neurosis scales, the score of somatization, depression, anxiety, and personality disorder subscales were higher in narcolepsy group, respectively(t=-4.721, p<0.001 ; t=-5.189, p<0.001 ; t=-6.068, p<0.001 ; t=-2.161, p=0.032). Among psychopath scales, the score of paranoia subscale was higher in narcolepsy group(t=-2.795, p=0.006), of schizophrenia subscale showed no difference (t=-0.687, p=0.493). Conclusion According to MPI results, we suggest that narcolepsy patients are more concerned with their somatic symptoms, more depressive and anxious, have more introverted or impulsive tendency and paranoid traits.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to quantitatively assess the degree of Simple Snoring(SS) or Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) affecting mental health through the results of multiphasic military personality inventory. Method We collected and analyzed the results of the military personality inventory(MPI) for healthy controls and SS or OSA patients among the 19-year-old men who visited the Military Manpower Administration from January 2008 to January 2013. MPI invented for Korean military test has similar system to Minnesota multiphasic personality inventory. Results Among demographic data, education level was lower in SS or OSA group (χ2=69.49, p<0.001). Socio-economic status and parents-relationship were not statistically different between two groups (χ2=2.94, p=0.401; χ2=2.01, p=0.570). BMI was higher in SS or OSA group (t=-8.24, p<0.001). Among validity scale, the score of faking good subscale was lower in SS or OSA group (t=3.157, p=0.002). Each score of faking bad and infrequency subscale was higher in SS or OSA group (t=-3.741, p<0.001; t=-2.766, p=0.006). Among neurosis scale, each score of anxiety, depression, somatization and personality disorder subscale was higher in SS or OSA group, respectively (t=-4.060, p<0.001; t=-3.977, p<0.001; t=-4.293, p<0.001; t=-3.499, p=0.001). Among psychopath scale, each score of schizophrenia and paranoia subscales were not statistically different between two groups (t=-1.669, p=0.096; t=-2.012, p=0.045). Conclusion According to MPI results, we can confirm that SS or OSA patients may appear feature such as anxiety, depression, somatization and personality tendency (introversion or impulsivity) than the control group.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to identify the volumetric alterations of the amygdala and their association with geriatric subclinical depression. Method Eighteen and 19 subjects aged 65 and above were recruited for the subclinical depression and the control group, respectively. Subclinical depression was defined by a cut-off value of 8 points on the Short Geriatric Depression Scale and no diagnosis of clinical psychiatric disorders. Participants of both groups must have normal cognitive functions assessed using Mini-Mental Status Examination. T1-weighted magnetic resonance images were acquired using 3T magnetic resonance imaging scanner. Volumes of bilateral amygdala and their nuclei, and lateralization indexes were determined using FreeSurfer(version 7.1.1). Statistical methods of Mann-Whitney U test, and Analysis of Covariance were used. Results Volumes of the left and right amygdala were smaller in the geriatric subclinical depression group compared to the control group(p≤0.048). There were significant volume reductions in left lateral nucleus, left anterior amygdaloid area, right lateral nucleus, right basal nucleus, right accessory basal nucleus, right anterior amygdaloid area, right cortical nucleus and right paralaminar nucleus(p≤0.034). Conclusion Various regions of amygdala nuclei which are known to be associated with emotional processing were smaller in size in the group of geriatric subclinical depression. Further studies are warranted to identify the neurophysiological factors that provoke the amygdala volume reduction in geriatric subclinical depression.

Objectives Primary purpose of this study was to evaluate therapeutic effects of psychodrama on inpatients with schizophrenia. Method Psychodrama was administered to 56 patients with schizophrenia who were hospitalized in Keyo Hospital. Similarly, 56 patients who were hospitalized at Keyo Hospital and did not participate in the psychodrama were set as control group. Psychodrama was administered 50 minutes once a week for 3 months. we used Communication Skill Scale, Relationship Change Scale, Relationship Function Scale, Clinical Global Impression-Severity(CGI-S), Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale(BPRS) to assess function of the patients. Assessment was done at the beginning and end of the period. In this study, we compared assessment-score before and after psychodrama first. Then we compared patients who participated in psychodrama and patients who did not. Results After 12 sessions of psychodrama, Patients who participated psychodrama showed improvement in communication skills and interpersonal relationship. Patients also showed improvement in Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale(BPRS) score. there was no significant change in Clinical Global Impression-Severity(CGI-S) score. Conclusion Results suggested that psychodrama is useful treatment method for improving communication and interpersonal skills in hospitalized patients with schizophrenia. we can expect that psychodrama can play a useful role in treatment of schizophrenia patients. Future research to generalize of the results of this study is necessary.