• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.357-365
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• 2023

Objectives: Since stroke is a serious health issue, novel therapeutic strategies are required. In a mouse model of ischemic stroke, this study analyzed the potential of electroacupuncture (EA) and tenuigenin (TE) to improve the efficacy of human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) transplantation. Methods: Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) with reperfusion was used to generate ischemic stroke. Forty-eight male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into five groups: control, MCAO-operated, MCAO-EA, MCAO-TE, or MCAO + EA + TE. Subsequently, hMSCs were transplanted into the ischemic region and EA, TE, or the combination was administered. Behavior assessments and immunohistochemistry were conducted to evaluate motor and cognitive recovery and hMSCs survival, migration, and differentiation. Results: The combined treatment of EA and TE exhibited enhanced hMSCs survival, migration and differentiation into neural cell lineages while suppressing astrocyte formation. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated increased neurogenesis through hMSCs transplantation in the ischemic brain. Immediate behavioral improvements were not significantly different between groups, but there was a gradual recovery in motor and cognitive function over time. Conclusion: These findings highlight the potential of EA and TE co-treatment as a therapeutic strategy for ischemic stroke, opening avenues for further research to optimize treatment protocols and elucidate underlying mechanisms.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.606-611
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• 2014

The understanding of another's behavior is a fundamental cognitive ability for primates including humans. Recent neuro-physiological studies suggested that there is a direct matching algorithm from visual observation onto an individual's own motor repertories for interpreting cognitive ability. The mirror neurons are known as core regions and are handled as a functionality of intent recognition on the basis of imitative learning of an observed action which is acquired from visual-information of a goal-directed action. In this paper, we addressed previous works used to model the function and mechanisms of mirror neurons and proposed a computational model of a mirror neuron system which can be used in human-robot interaction environments. The major focus of the computation model is the reproduction of an individual's motor repertory with different embodiments. The model's aim is the design of a continuous process which combines sensory evidence, prior task knowledge and a goal-directed matching of action observation and execution. We also propose a biologically inspired plausible equation model.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.91-98
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• 2010

Neurostimulation approaches have been developed and explored to modulate neuroplastic changes of cortical function in human brain. As one of the most primary noninvasive tools, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) was extensively studied in the field of neuroscience. The alternation of cortical neurons depending on the polarity of the tDCS has been used for improving cognitive processing including working memory, learning, and language in normal individuals, as well as in patients with neurological or psychiatric diseases. In addition, tDCS has great advantages: it is a non-invasive, painless, safe, and cost-effective approach to enhance brain function in normal subjects and patients with neurological disorders. Numerous previous studies have confirmed the efficacy of tDCS. However, tDCS has not been considered for clinical applications and research in the field of physical therapy. Therefore, this review will focus on the general principles of tDCS and its related application parameters, and provide consideration of motor behavioral research and clinical applications in physical therapy.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.184-193
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• 2007

Objectives:There is increasing evidence that the cerebellum plays an important role in cognition and psychiatric symptoms as well as motor coordination. The concept of cognitive dysmetria has been making cerebellar function in schizophrenia the focus of current studies. In other words, disruption in the corticocerebellum-thalamic -cortical circuit could lead to disordered cognition and clinical symptoms of schizophrenia. The purposes of this study were to determine cerebellar dysfunction in male schizophrenic patients semiquantitatively with ICARS and to investigate the clinical and cognitive correlates of ICARS in patients. Methods:We compared the scores of cerebellar neurologic sign using ICARS in 47 male patients with a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of schizophrenia with 30 gender and age-matched healthy control subjects. The semiquantitative 100-point ICARS consists of 19 items divided into 4 unequally weighted subscores:posture and gait disturbances, kinetic functions, speech disorders and oculomotor disorders. All subjects were also assessed with cognitive function test. Cognitive functions were evaluated by Korean-Mini Mental Status Examination (K-MMSE), Verbal fluency test, and Clock drawing test. The patients were administered Korea version of Positive and Negative Symptom Scale(K-PANSS) to assess the symptom severity. Results:Schizophrenic patients had significantly higher scores on the ICARS than control subjects with posture and gait disturbances, kinetic functions, and oculomotor disorders. They also showed more significant impairments in cognitive function tests than control subjects. There was a significant correlation between ICARS and negative symptoms of patients. In cognitive function test, Clock drawing test was significantly associated with negative symptoms. In addition, Clock drawing test was negatively correlated with the total score of ICARS. Conclusion:In this study, we confirmed that schizophrenic patients have significant impairments in cognitive and cerebellar function, and that those were related with negative symptoms of schizophrenic patients. These results support a role of the cerebellum in schizophrenia. It is meaningful that we used a structured, and reliable procedure for rating neurological soft signs, ICARS. We hope that future prospective studies using a similar design help that rate of neurological sign should have been visible with the progression of illness.

• The Journal of Korean society of community based occupational therapy
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.49-63
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• 2012

Objective : The purpose of study was to verify the clinical effect of a Korean Computer-based cognitive rehabilitation program(called CoTras) for recovering the visual perception function and ADL in stroke. Methods : A CBCRT was applied to 14 Stoke patients who rehabilitation professional medical treatment hospital. All participant were evaluated with four standardized assessment tolls(Motor-Free Visual Perception Test; MVPT, Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination; MMSE-K, Assesment of Motor and Process Skills: AMPS) before and after the planned computer based cognitive rehabilitation sessions. Results : A significant effect was confirmed (p<.05) from the CBCRT which visual perception function. By each entry comparative result, visual memory, figure ground, visual close, spatial relation, visual discrimination, were the order of treatment. Neither was found any significant effect in improving process skills from AMPS. Conclusion : These results indicate that CoTras have effects on improving visual perception and ADL performance in stroke patients. Will be able to present with the fundamental data CoTras will be able to contribute to increase visual perception function & ADL performance to the stroke patient who has visual perception dysfunction.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.12
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• pp.5731-5740
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• 2011

The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between sensory function and performances in the activities of daily living in chronic CVA patients. One-hundred and thirty-eight CVA patients, who experienced their CVA more than 6 months ago, were recruited. Their sensory, motor and cognitive functions, as well as performances in activities of daily living were assessed and analysed. The results indicated that Graphesthesia and proprioception of the affected hand of patients with right hemiplegia showed statistically significant correlation with personal hygiene. The motor functions of the unaffected side in patients with left hemiplegia showed statistically meaningful correlation with ADL performances. The correlation between the motor function of upper limb of the unaffected side and the activities of daily living showed statistical significance in both right and left hemiplegia.

• Journal of Korean Society of Neurocognitive Rehabilitation
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.27-34
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of task training for cognitive activation of upper extremity on upper limb function and activities of daily living and to suggest intervention in rehabilitation treatment. From January to February of 2018, nine stroke patients were arbitrated 30 minutes a day, five days a week, for four weeks. For the experimental group, the therapist has induced the group using the linguistic guidance to patients, so they utilize the cognition strategy. The control group conducted active exercises in a range of motion using the instruments and passive exercises in a range of motion to reduce the stiffness of joints and upper limbs. As muscle strengthening exercises, the patients were assigned to work on the biceps muscle of arm, triceps muscle of arm, and deltoid according to the individual patient's muscular strength level. For the experimental group, the MBI was improved by ten points at maximum, and K-AMPS motor skills showed the improvements of 1.0 logit at maximum, and processing skills showed improvements of 0.6 logits at maximum. In MFT, the maximum improvement was by two points. For the control group, MBI was improved by five points at maximum, and 0.2 maximum improvements were shown in K-AMPS' motor skills and 0.3 maximum improvements in processing skills. MFT showed no change. The conclusion is that the challenges to enable training for stroke patients give a positive impact on upper limb function and activities of daily living.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.141-150
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• 2021

Objective : In this study, the upper extremity use, executive function, and occupational performance effects of cognitive orientation to daily occupational performance (CO-OP) interventions for patients with stroke were assessed. Methods : The study was designed as a single-group pre-post test with 20 sessions. The participants were five hospitalized patients with stroke who were present in a rehabilitation setting, and their onsets were more than 3 months previously. Outcomes were measured using the Canadian Occupation Performance Measure (COPM), Performance Quality Rating Scale (PQRS), Executive Function performance Test - Korean version (EFPT-K), and Motor Activity Log (MAL). The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was conducted to determine the difference between the pre-and-post of CO-OP interventions. The statistical significance level was p<.05. Results : The upper extremity function showed significant changes and the execution function showed significant changes in preparation, sequencing, judgment and safety, and closing, except for items to be started. The performance of the task also showed significant changes. Conclusion : Through 20 sessions of CO-OP interventions, especially in patients with chronic stroke, the upper extremity function, execution function, and task performance were improved. We found that CO-OP intervention had a positive effect on the improvement of detailed task elements as well as the performance of tasks overall, in patients with stroke.

• Journal of mucopolysaccharidosis and rare diseases
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.41-43
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• 2017

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a genetic disorder that is considered, especially on child, to cause poor feeding, hypotonia, failure to thrive, developmental delay and hypogonadism which is known to affect between 1 in 10,000 and 30,000 people. The children with PWS are viewed as affected by growth hormone (GH) insufficiency, although the exact mechanisms of GH deficiency are not fully understood. However, the benefits of GH treatment in children with PWS are well established. Myers, et al. (2006), Grugni, et al. (2016) indicated its positive effects on linear growth, body composition, motor function, respiratory function and psychomotor development. Despite of its effectiveness and advantages had been well known and proven in many other studies, there is only one recombinant GH product that is approved for PWS in Korea, $Genotropin^{(R)}$, till now. A phase III clinical study of GH treatment with $Eutropin^{TM}$, in 34 Korean PWS children is in progress, which is expected to have comparable effects and safety profile with the active control by assessing auxological changes such as height standard deviation score, body composition changes such as lean body mass and percent body fat, motor and cognitive development using Bayley scale, and safety profiles.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.71-79
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to analyze the presence of ipsilesional movement deficit, with segmental performance in each proximal or distal upper extremity. The visuoperceptual complex task of the ipsilesional upper extremity was investigated in patients with unilateral brain damage and a control group of healthy sex-age-matched controls. Tracking movements were tested in the proximal and distal upper extremities. Movements were measured by the accuracy index, which was normalized to each subject's own range of motion and took into account any differences between subjects in the excursion of the tracking target. The findings revealed that stroke patients experienced difficulties with tracking movement of both proximal and distal segments in the upper extremities on the so-called "non-affected side", irrespectively of the extent of patient's age, time since onset, or severity of contralateral upper extremity. Therefore, the unilateral brain damage affected ipsilateral motor function of the proximal and distal upper limbs in the performance of complex motor tasks, requiring central processing and the higher order cognitive function in the integrity of both hemispheres.