• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.16 no.6
• /
• pp.379-386
• /
• 2012

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether berberine (BER) administration could attenuate depression- and anxiety-like behaviors and increase corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression following chronic morphine withdrawal in rats. Male rats were exposed to chronic, intermittent, escalating morphine (10~50 mg/kg) for 10 days. After the last morphine injection, depression- and anxiety-like beahvior associated with morphine discontinuation persisted for at least three days during withdrawal without any change in ambulatory activity. Daily BER administration significantly decreased immobility in the forced swimming test and increased open-arm exploration in the elevated plus maze test. BER administration also significantly blocked the increase in hypothalamic CRF expression and TH expression in the locus coeruleus (LC) and the decrease in hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA expression. Taken together, these findings demonstrated that BER administration significantly reduced morphine withdrawal-associated behaviors following discontinuation of repeated morphine administration in rats, possibly through modulation of hypothalamic CRF and the central noradrenergic system. BER may be a useful agent for treating or alleviating complex withdrawal symptoms and preventing morphine use relapses.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.191-200
• /
• 2014

We investigated the anxiolytic-like activity of ${\alpha}$-asarone (AAS) from Acorus gramineus in an experimental rat model of anxiety induced by repeated administration of the exogenous stress hormone corticosterone (CORT). The putative anxiolytic effect of AAS was studied in behavioral tests of anxiety, such as the elevated plus maze (EPM) test and the hole-board test (HBT) in rats. For 21 consecutive days, male rats received 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg AAS (i.p.) 30 min prior to a daily injection of CORT. Dysregulation of the HPA axis in response to the repeated CORT injections was confirmed by measuring serum levels of CORT and the expression of corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) in the hypothalamus. Daily AAS (200 mg/kg) administration increased open-arm exploration significantly in the EPM test, and it increased the duration of head dipping activity in the HBT. It also blocked the increase in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression in the locus coeruleus (LC) and decreased mRNA expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor, TrkB, in the hippocampus. These results indicated that the administration of AAS prior to high-dose exogenous CORT significantly improved anxiety-like behaviors, which are associated with modification of the central noradrenergic system and with BDNF function in rats. The current finding may improve understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms responsible for changes in emotions induced by repeated administration of high doses of CORT or by elevated levels of hormones associated with chronic stress. Thus, AAS did exhibit an anxiolytic-like effects in animal models of anxiety.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.164-173
• /
• 2013

This study aims to analyze the aesthetic thought and expression tendency appeared in contemporary architecture by looking at today's architectural art based on the concept of the uncanny that Sigmund Freud contended as an aesthetic principle, of the aesthetic concepts tossed around to define the contemporary times in the aesthetics field and discuss the architectural analysis possibility of the concept of the uncanny. The generation structure of the uncanny that generates experiences of fear and surprise is classified into dual structure, trauma, threatening structure, and repetition compulsion. This is the principle that evokes a sense of experiencing subject, incorporates sensibility, and vitalizes internal process. This is also the methodology to organize and structure the concept of the uncanny. When seen from the four factors drawn from the concept of the uncanny and aesthetic expressions, the uncanny expression characteristics of contemporary architecture includes isolation, subversion, trace, absence, oblique line, flotation, concealment, and disturbance. Isolation and subversion refers to producing the space of the pressure of tension and relaxation caused by repression and relief from repression and eliciting the maximum expansion of the sense of space through spatial change. Trace and absence indicates being able to elicit more intense emotions from the experiencing subject by applying the images of alienation and absence in the way to reproduce historical trauma. This happens by implementing the potential value of physical activity. Oblique line and flotation means visual impulse. This happens in the way to visualize uneasy points. This causes uncanny by threatening the survival. Finally, concealment and disturbance refers to creating unpredictable space. The concept of masquerade and maze space composition are applied in the way to activate spatial perception, including space exploration and unintended subject's forced selection. As stated above, the uncanny expression characteristics shown in contemporary architecture can be presented as indicators that are available to analyze the undecided and diversified contemporary architecture aesthetically. In this respect, this study has great significance.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.313-322
• /
• 2013

Previous studies have demonstrated that repeated administration of the exogenous stress hormone corticosterone (CORT) induces dysregulation in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and results in depression and anxiety. The current study sought to verify the impact of catechin (CTN) administration on chronic CORT-induced behavioral alterations using the forced swimming test (FST) and the elevated plus maze (EPM) test. Additionally, the effects of CTN on central noradrenergic systems were examined by observing changes in neuronal tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactivity in rat brains. Male rats received 10, 20, or 40 mg/kg CTN (i.p.) 1 h prior to a daily injection of CORT for 21 consecutive days. The activation of the HPA axis in response to the repeated CORT injections was confirmed by measuring serum levels of CORT and the expression of corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) in the hypothalamus. Daily CTN administration significantly decreased immobility in the FST, increased open-arm exploration in the EPM test, and significantly blocked increases of TH expression in the locus coeruleus (LC). It also significantly enhanced the total number of line crossing in the open-field test (OFT), while individual differences in locomotor activities between experimental groups were not observed in the OFT. Taken together, these findings indicate that the administration of CTN prior to high-dose exogenous CORT significantly improves helpless behaviors, possibly by modulating the central noradrenergic system in rats. Therefore, CTN may be a useful agent for the treatment or alleviation of the complex symptoms associated with depression and anxiety disorders.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.708-720
• /
• 2012

In this study, we assessed the effects of ginsenoside Re (GRe) administration on repeated immobilization stress-induced behavioral alterations using the forced swimming test (FST), the elevated plus maze (EPM), and the active avoidance conditioning test (AAT). Additionally, we examined the effect of GRe on the central adrenergic system by observing changes in neuronal tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactivity and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA expression in the rat brain. Male rats received 10, 20, or 50 mg/kg GRe (i.p.) 30 min before daily exposures to repeated immobilization stress (2 h/day) for 10 days. Activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in response to repeated immobilization was confirmed by measuring serum levels of corticosterone (CORT) and the expression of corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) in the hypothalamus. Repeated immobilization stress increased immobility in the FST and reduced open-arm exploration in the EPM test. It also increased the probability of escape failures in the AAT test, indicating a reduced avoidance response. Daily administration of GRe during the repeated immobilization stress period significantly inhibited the stress-induced behavioral deficits in these behavioral tests. Administration of GRe also significantly blocked the increase in TH expression in the locus coeruleus (LC) and the decrease in BDNF mRNA expression in the hippocampus. Taken together, these findings indicate that administration of GRe prior to immobilization stress significantly improved helpless behaviors and cognitive impairment, possibly through modulating the central noradrenergic system in rats. These findings suggest that GRe may be a useful agent for treating complex symptoms of depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.422-430
• /
• 2012

Previous studies have demonstrated that repeated restraint stress in rodents produces increases in depression and anxiety-like behaviors and alters the expression of corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) in the hypothalamus. The current study focused on the impact of Bupleurum falcatum (BF) extract administration on repeated restraint stress-induced behavioral responses using the forced swimming test (FST) and elevated plus maze (EPM) test. Immunohistochemical examinations of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression in rat brain were also conducted. Male rats received daily doses of 20, 50, or 100 mg/kg (i.p.) BF extract for 15 days, 30 min prior to restraint stress (4 h/day). Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activation in response to repeated restraint stress was confirmed base on serum corticosterone levels and CRF expression in the hypothalamus. Animals that were pre-treated with BF extract displayed significantly reduced immobility in the FST and increased open-arm exploration in the EPM test in comparison with controls. BF also blocked the increase in TH expression in the locus coeruleus of treated rats that experienced restraint stress. Together, these results demonstrate that BF extract administration prior to restraint stress significantly reduces depression and anxiety-like behaviors, possibly through central adrenergic mechanisms, and they suggest a role for BF extract in the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders.