• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.185-199
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• 2011

In the present study, we assessed the effect of the PPA (Polygala japonica Houtt., Polygala tenuifolia WILLD. and Acorus gramineus SOLAND. mixed preparation), a traditional herbal prescription, on the learning and memory impairments induced by scopolamine. The cognition-enhancing effect of PPA was investigated using a passive avoidance test, Y-maze test and the Morris water maze test in mice. Drug-induced amnesia was induced by treating animals with scopolamine (1 mg/kg, i.p.). A single PPA (400 and 800 (mg/kg)) administration significantly reversed the scopolamine-induced cognitive impairments in the passive avoidance test (P<0.05). On the Y-maze test, PPA (400 and 800 (mg/kg)) also significantly reversed scopolamine-induced cognitive impairments in mice (P<0.05). PPA also improved escape latencies in training trials and increased swimming times and distances within the target zone of the Morris water maze (P<0.05). These results suggest that PPA attenuates amnesic state induced by scopolamine and that these Effect are mediated by enhancing the cholinergic dysfunction.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.77-85
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• 2022

Purpose: Aging process comes with cognitive impairment due to decreased neuronal cell number, activity, and neuronal circuit. Alteration of inhibitory neurons contributes to cognitive impairment in normal aging and is responsible for disrupting the excitation/inhibition balance by reducing the synthesis of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Morus nigra (Mulberry) is a natural physiologically active substance that has been proven to have anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic, and anti-inflammatory effects through many studies. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the mulberry extract (ME) on cognitive function through anti-oxidant enzyme and GABAergic neuronal activity in aged rat brain. Methods: Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned as the young group (8 weeks, n= 8), aging group (67 weeks, n= 8), and aging+ mulberry extract group (67 weeks, n= 8). The aging+ mulberry extract group was orally administered 500 mg/kg/d mulberry extract for 6 weeks. Results: The aging+ mulberry extract group improved spatial and short-term memory. The antioxidant potential of ME increased the expression of superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD-1) and decreased inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Also, the aging+ mulberry extract group significantly increased the expression of GABAergic interneuron in hippocampus cornu ammonis1 (CA1) compared to the aging group. Conclusion: The number of GABAergic inhibitory interneurons was deceased and memory functions in the aging process, but those symptoms were improved and restored by mulberry extract administration.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.261-270
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• 2022

Background: The rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) is a critical region for the management of nociception. The RVM is also involved in learning and memory processes due to its relationship with the hippocampus. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the molecular mechanisms behind orexin-A signaling in the RVM and hippocampus's effects on capsaicin-induced pulpal nociception and cognitive impairments in rats. Methods: Capsaicin (100 g) was applied intradentally to male Wistar rats to induce inflammatory pulpal nociception. Orexin-A and an orexin-1 receptor antagonist (SB-334867) were then microinjected into the RVM. Immunoblotting and immunofluorescence staining were used to check the levels of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the RVM and hippocampus. Results: Interdental capsaicin treatment resulted in nociceptive responses as well as a reduction in spatial learning and memory. Additionally, it resulted in decreased BDNF and increased COX-2 expression levels. Orexin-A administration (50 pmol/1 µL/rat) could reverse such molecular changes. SB-334867 microinjection (80 nM/1 µL/rat) suppressed orexin's effects. Conclusions: Orexin-A signaling in the RVM and hippocampus modulates capsaicin-induced pulpal nociception in male rats by increasing BDNF expression and decreasing COX-2 expression.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.126-132
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• 2015

This study investigated the anti-amnesic effect of fermented Ganoderma lucidum water extracts (GW) on scopolamine- induced memory impairment in rats. GW were fermented by the lactic acid bacterium Bifidobacterium bifidum (FGWB), followed by Lactobacillus sakei LI033 (FGWBL). To induce amnesia, scopolamine (1 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected into rats 30 min before the behavioral tests. Step-through latencies of rats treated with primary fermented extracts (300 mg/kg, FGWB) and secondary fermented extracts (300 mg/kg, FGWBL) were significantly longer than those of rats treated with GW (300 mg/kg) in the retention trial of the multiple trial passive avoidance test. In the Morris water maze task, FGWBL significantly shortened escape latencies in training trials. Furthermore, swimming times within the target zone during the probe trial with FGWBL were significantly higher than the GW and FGWB treatments. In addition, acetylcholinesterase activities were lower in the brains of scopolamine-treated rats treated with FGWBL. These results suggest that FGWBL could be useful to enhance learning memory and cognitive function via cholinergic dysfunction.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.735-742
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• 2023

Background: Gintonin is a new material of ginseng that acts through the ginseng-derived lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor ligand. The gintonin-enriched fraction (GEF) inhibits amyloid plaque accumulation in the cortex and hippocampus, improves cognitive dysfunction by increasing acetylcholine levels, and promoted hippocampal neurogenesis in an animal model of Alzheimer's disease. We evaluated the effect of the GEF on the cognitive performance of subjects with subjective memory impairment (SMI). Methods: In this eight-week, randomized, assessor- and participant-blinded, placebo-controlled study, participants with SMI were assigned to three groups receiving placebo, GEF 300 mg/day or GEF 600 mg/day. The Korean versions of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (K-ADAS), Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE), and Stroop color-word test (K-SCWT) were also evaluated along with the safety profiles. Results: One hundred thirty-six participants completed the study. After eight weeks, we analyzed intergroup differences in primary or secondary outcome score changes. When we compared the GEF group with the placebo group, we observed significant improvements in the K-ADAS and K-SCWT scores. The GEF group did not show a significant improvement in K-MMSE and BDI scores compared to the placebo group. No adverse events were observed in the gintonin and placebo groups for eight weeks. Conclusion: The GEF is safe and effective in improving subjective cognitive impairment related to both the K-ADAS and K-SCWT in this study. However, further large-scale and randomized controlled studies are warranted to secure other cognitive function tests besides the K-ADAS and K-SCWT, and to confirm the findings of the current study.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.299-306
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• 2013

In the present study, we investigated the effect of ethanolic extract of the seed of Zizyphus jujuba var. spinosa (EEZS) on cholinergic blockade-induced memory impairment in mice. Male ICR mice were treated with EEZS. The behavioral tests were conducted using the passive avoidance, the Y-maze, and the Morris water maze tasks. EEZS (100 or 200 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly ameliorated the scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment in our present behavioral tasks without changes of locomotor activity. The ameliorating effect of EEZS on scopolamine-induced memory impairment was significantly reversed by a sub-effective dose of MK-801 (0.0125 mg/kg, s.c.). In addition, single administration of EEZS in normal naive mouse enhanced latency time in the passive avoidance task. Western blot analysis was employed to confirm the mechanism of memory-ameliorating effect of EEZS. Administration of EEZS (200 mg/kg) increased the level of memory-related signaling molecules, including phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase or cAMP response element-binding protein in the hippocampal region. Also, the time-dependent expression level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor by the administration of EEZS was markedly increased from 3 to 9 h. These results suggest that EEZS has memory-ameliorating effect on scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment, which is mediated by the enhancement of the cholinergic neurotransmitter system, in part, via NMDA receptor signaling, and that EEZS would be useful agent against cognitive dysfunction such as Alzheimer's disease.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.97-103
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• 2021

Perilla frutescens (P. frutescens) is an important herb used for many purposes such as medicinal, aromatic, and functional food in Asian countries and has beneficial effects such as antioxidant activity, anti-inflammation activity, anti-depression activity, and anxiolytic activity. However, there have been no studies on the protective effect of P. frutescens extract (PFE) on amnesia in vivo. The present study aimed to investigate whether PFE protects memory deficit using a scopolamine-induced mice model and elucidate the underlying mechanisms involved. The protective effect of PFE against scopolamine-induced memory deficits was investigated using Y-maze, passive avoidance, and Morris water maze tests. Furthermore, the potential mechanisms of PFE in improving memory capabilities related to the cholinergic system and antioxidant activity were examined. PFE significantly increased spontaneous alternation in the Y-maze test, step-through latency in the passive avoidance test, and swimming time in the target quadrant in the probe test when compared to the scopolamine-treated group. Likewise, PFE significantly decreased escapes latency in the Morris water maze test. PFE could not regulate cholinergic function in acetylcholine level and acetylcholine esterase activity. However, PFE increased DPPH radical scavenging activity dose-dependently and total polyphenol content was 127.7±1.2 ㎍ GAE/mg. The results showed that the PFE could be a preventive and/or therapeutic candidate for memory and cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.265-276
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• 2008

Transient global amnesia(TGA) is a clinical syndrome characterized by sudden, temporary dysfunction of anterograde and recent retrograde memory without other neurologic deficits. Different hypotheses have been considered for its etiology, but it still remains obscure. Recently the diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging(DWI), has been considered as the sensitive tool to detect small punctate hyperintense lesions in the hippocampus in transient global amnesia(TGA). We report two TGA cases, all of them answers to TGA clinical criteria, and one of them showed two dot like high signal intense foci in Rt. hippocampus on DWI.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.169-178
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• 2001

After initial recovery from acute carbon monoxide (CO) intoxication, some patients occasionally undergo severe neuropsychiatric deterioration, which is called postanoxic delayed encephalopathy (sequelae). This is the clinical report about one patient, a 73-year-old man, diagnosed with delayed encephalopathy after acute CO intoxication. The symptoms of the patient were mental dysfunction including memory impairment and disorientation, abnormal behavior, incontinence and mutism. He had completely recovered after an aonxic episode, but the neurological symptoms that developed were preceded by an interval of apparent normality (the 'lucid interval'). We characterized him as suffering deficiency syndrome of the heart and prescribed for him Bokreongbosim-tang and Guipi-tang, and thereafter his symptoms were remarkably improved. For the evaluation of clinical improvement, we use the Modified Barthel Index (MBI), Canadian Neurologic Scale (CNS), and the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE)

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.11-17
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• 2001

In 2000, the number of people aged 65 and over increased to 3.37 million, accounting for 7.1% of the total population of South Korea. The elderly population will increase up to 19.3% in 2030. Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) seems to increase with age. More than 50-60% of old people complain of SDB-related signs and symptoms including awakening headache, excessive daytime sleepiness, fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, memory loss, personality changes, and depression. The influence of a mild degree of SDB upon the elderly is unclear, but moderate to severe SDB is well known to be associated with many diseases including hypertension, arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, stroke, dementia, and sudden death. Therefore, physicians should pay attention to elderly patients who complain of SDB related symptoms and signs that may not be normal signs of aging. Physicians need to become more sensitive to treat SDB in the elderly.