• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.603-610
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• 2020

Background: Depression is a common neuropsychiatric disease that shows astrocyte pathology. Ginsenoside Rf (G-Rf) is a saponin found in Panax ginseng which has been used to treat neuropsychiatric diseases. We aimed to investigate antidepressant properties of G-Rf when introduced into the L-alphaaminoadipic acid (L-AAA)-infused mice model which is representative of a major depressive disorder that features diminished astrocytes in the brain. Methods: L-AAA was infused into the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of mice to induce decrease of astrocytes. Mice were orally administered G-Rf (20 mg/kg) as well as vehicle only or imipramine (20 mg/kg) as controls. Depression-like behavior of mice was evaluated using forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST). We observed recovery of astroglial impairment and increased proliferative cells in the PFC and its accompanied change in the hippocampus by Western blot and immunohistochemistry to assess the effect of G-Rf. Results: After injection of L-AAA into the PFC, mice showed increased immobility time in FST and TST and loss of astrocytes without significant neuronal change in the PFC. G-Rf-treated mice displayed significantly more decreased immobility time in FST and TST than did vehicle-treated mice, and their immobility time almost recovered to those of the sham mice and imipramine-treated mice. G-Rf upregulated glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression and Ki-67 expression in the PFC reduced by L-AAA and also alleviated astroglial change in the hippocampus. Conclusion: G-Rf markedly reversed depression-like behavioral changes and exhibited protective effect against the astrocyte ablation in the PFC induced by L-AAA. These protective properties suggest that G-Rf might be a therapeutic agent for major depressive disorders.

• BMB Reports
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.239-244
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• 2009

New neurons are continually generated in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus and in the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricles of the adult brain. These neurons proliferate, differentiate, and become integrated into neuronal circuits, but how they are involved in brain function remains unknown. A deficit of adult hippocampal neurogenesis leads to defective spatial learning and memory, and the hippocampi in neuropsychiatric diseases show altered neurogenic patterns. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis is not only affected by external stimuli but also regulated by internal growth factors including BDNF, VEGF and IGF-1. These factors are implicated in a broad spectrum of pathophysiological changes in the human brain. Elucidation of the roles of such neurotropic factors should provide insight into how adult hippocampal neurogenesis is related to psychiatric disease and synaptic plasticity.

• BMB Reports
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• v.43 no.9
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• pp.593-598
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• 2010

Tetrahydrobiopterin ($BH_4$) is a pivotal cofactor for enzymes responsible for the synthesis and release of monoamine neurotransmitters including dopamine and serotonin as well as the release of glutamate. Deficiencies in $BH_4$ levels and reduced activities of $BH_4$-associated enzymes have been recently reported in patients with schizophrenia. Accordingly, it is possible that abnormalities in the biochemical cascades regulated by $BH_4$ may alter DA, 5-HT and Glu neurotransmission, and consequently contribute to the pathophysiology of different neuropsychiatric diseases including schizophrenia. The development of a novel strain of mutant mice that is deficient in $BH_4$ by knocking out the expression of a functional sepiapterin reductase gene (spr -/-) has added new insights into the potential role of $BH_4$ in the pathophysiology and improved treatment of schizophrenia.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.152-157
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• 2012

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is the major polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) in the brain and a structural component of neuronal membranes. Changes in DHA content of neuronal membranes lead to functional changes in the activity of receptors and other proteins which might be associated with synaptic function. Accumulating evidence suggests the beneficial effects of dietary DHA supplementation on neurotransmission. This article reviews the beneficial effects of DHA on the brain; uptake, incorporation and release of DHA at synapses, effects of DHA on synapses, effects of DHA on neurotransmitters, DHA metabolites, and changes in DHA with age. Further studies to better understand the metabolome of DHA could result in more effective use of this molecule for treatment of neurodegenerative or neuropsychiatric diseases.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Bioinformatics Conference
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• 2006.02a
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• pp.125-126
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• 2006

NimbleGen has developed strategies to use its high-density oligonucleotide microarray platform (385,000 probes per array) to map both promoter binding sites and copy number variation at very high-resolution in the human genome. Here we describe a genome-wide map of active promoters determined by experimentally locating the sites of transcription imitation complex binding throughout the human genome using microarrays combined with chromatin immunoprecipitation. This map defines 10,567 active promoters corresponding to 6,763 known genes and at least 1,196 un-annotated transcriptional units. Microarray-based comparative genomic hybridisation (CGH) is animportant research tool for investigating chromosomal aberrations frequently associated with complex diseases such as cancer, neuropsychiatric disorders, and congenital developmental disorders. NimbleGen array CGH is an ultra-high resolution (0.5-50 Kb) oligo array platform that can be used to detect amplifications and deletions and map the associated breakpoints on the whole-genome level or with custom fine-tiling arrays. For whole-genome array CGH, probes are tiled through genic and intergenic regions with a median probe spacing of 6 Kb, which provides a comprehensive, unbiased analysis of the genome.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.38-42
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• 2006

The case of a 66- year-old woman with coexisting idiopathic basal ganglia calcification(IBGC) and dementia was presented. The calcification was detected in bilateral basal ganglia, dentate nucleus, and thalamus by brain imaging. Serum calcium and phosphorus levels were normal. The underlying diseases of calcification of basal ganglia such as parathyroid dysfunction and other infectious, toxic, or metabolic illness were excluded. The patient had memory impairment and frontal executive dysfunction without aphasia, agnosia, apraxia, and visuospatial impairment in neuropsychological test. It suggested that the cognitive impairment might be due to the dysfunction of frontal-subcortical circuit.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.16-33
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• 2021

Objectives This study aims to provide directions for future Korean pediatric medicine treatment and researches by analyzing the characteristics of diseases of Korean pediatric outpatients before and after the COVID-19 epidemic. Methods We analyzed the medical records of 10,868 new patients aged 0-18 who visited the Korean pediatrics at Kyung Hee university hospital from January 1, 2019 to June 30, 2021. All patients were divided into 2 groups; patients who visited from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019, before the coronavirus epidemic, and patients who visited from January 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021, after the coronavirus epidemic. Within the two groups, the diagnosis distribution was performed for the entire population, by gender and by age group. Diagnoses were classified as allergy, growth, gastrointestinal, respiratory, general body supplementation, neuropsychiatric, skin, urogenital, musculoskeletal, and other systems. Results According to the comparative analysis results of before and after the COVID epidemic, there was a decreasing trend of diagnoses in relates to allergy, respiratory, urogenital, musculoskeletal system. On the other side, there was an increasing trend in gastrointestinal, general body supplementation, growth, neuropsychiatric, skin and other system. Changes in diagnosis based on gender and age group will be described below. Conclusions This study analyzed the characteristics of diseases of Korean pediatric outpatients before and after the COVID-19 epidemic, and suggested the direction of future Korean medicine treatment and researches for pediatrics. Also, this study aimed to propose proper treatments for children by showing the role of Korean pediatric medicine related to growth and development of children during the epidemic. However, this study has limitations such as failure to track the long-term impact of COVID-19. Thus, long term follow-up studies are needed to show the effect of COVID-19 on Korean pediatric medicine.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.329-335
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• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine how analyzing movies, including mental symptoms, according to a certain method, might affect the understanding of psychiatric disorders. Methods: Forty-four oriental medicine students who had completed Korean medicine neuropsychiatric science were required to submit reports on episode analysis, psychiatric personal history investigation, diagnostic criteria, and the connection between Korean medicine and psychiatric diseases after watching a movie, including psychiatric symptoms. After submitting the report, a questionnaire related to understanding before and after watching the movie was asked to be filled out. Demographic survey, frequency analysis, and response sample t-test were performed based on 42 questionnaires. Results: Results of analyzing the questionnaire were as follows. 1. The average number of movies watched was three. 2. Psychiatric disorders and psychiatric symptoms, diagnostic criteria, psychiatric personal investigation, and understanding of the connection between Korean medicine and psychiatric diseases all increased statistically significantly. 3. A separate process might be needed to improve the understanding of psychiatric personal strength investigation and oriental medicine connection. Conclusions: Movie analysis, including individual mental symptoms, could improve students' understanding of psychiatric disorders in psychiatric symptoms, diagnostic criteria, and psychiatric personal investigation, but some students might need feedback.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.265-274
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• 2019

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to research the trend related to pharmacopuncture for insomnia in China for further development of pharmacopuncture in Korea. Methods: This study reviewed and analyzed 21 Chinese journals related to pharmacopuncture 2013~2019 sourced with the following keywords in the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). 'Shimian', 'Wuewei zhushe', 'Shuizhen', 'Xuewei yaowu zhushe', 'Yaowu xuewei zhushe', 'Xuewei zhuyao', 'Xuezhu', and 'Xueweiyaowu zhuru'. Results: The following results were obtained in this study. 1. A total of 21 papers were selected, comprised of clinical research and case reports. 2. Pharmacopuncture was often used for insomnia, and as the medicine of injection, Salvia, Gastrodin, Acanthopanax, Hominis Placenta, Qingkailing, Shenmai, Bozhi Glycopeptide, Fufang Danggui, Vitamin B12, and Chlorpromazine Hydrochloride were used. 3. In combined treatments, acupuncture, chiropractic, auricular sticking, and herbal medicine were used. 4. It was more effective compared to conservational acupuncture therapy. Conclusions: It was established that they have efficiency to treat insomnia with pharmacopuncture in China, but there were limitations in this study, so we need more research to identify new medicines for neuropsychiatric diseases.

• 대한상한금궤의학회지
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.81-98
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• 2021

Objective : We explored the meaning of "Pyo (表)" in Gangpyeong-Shanghanlun through two cases. Methods : We analyzed the original form of 表 and its context in Shanghanlun. We also analyzed 2 clinical cases of bipolar disorder treated with Mahwang-tang (麻黃湯) according to the newly deduced definition of 表. Results : 表 can be interpreted as "pursuing something high-class seen from the outside." Both cases had various psychological symptoms including insomnia, mood swings, anxiety, and depression. We determined that the diseases in both cases occurred when 表 had not been achieved. We also found that 麻黃湯 can improve psychological status. Conclusions : 表 is different from "surface," which is the most widely used definition. After diagnosing these two patients with bipolar disorder using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5^th edition), we found that symptoms could be improved by administration of 麻黃湯 (46條). Although its potential for neuropsychiatric diagnosis has been suggested through etymological interpretation of 表 and analysis of two cases, more advanced clinical studies are needed in the future.