• BMB Reports
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.242-247
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• 2008

MSS, a comprising mixture of maesil (Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc) concentrate, disodium succinate and Span80 (3.6 : 4.6 : 1 ratio) showed a significant improvement of memory when daily administered (460 mg/kg day, p.o.) into the normal rats for 3 weeks. During the spatial learning of 4 days in Morris water maze test, both working memory and short-term working memory index were significantly increased when compared to untreated controls. We investigated a molecular signal transduction mechanism of MSS on the behaviors of spatial learning and memory. MSS treatment increased hippocampal mRNA levels of NR2B and TrkB without changes of NR1, NR2A, ERK1, ERK2 and CREB. However, the protein levels of pERK/ERK and pCREB/CREB were all significantly increased to $1.5{\pm}0.17$ times. These results suggest that the improving effect of spatial memory for MSS is linked to MAPK/ERK signaling pathway that ends up in the phosphorylation of CREB through TrkB and/or NR2B of NMDA receptor.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.201-209
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• 2014

The present study was designed to investigate the efficacy of selective $ET_A$ receptor antagonist, ambrisentan on hyperhomocysteinemia-induced experimental vascular dementia. L-methionine was administered for 8 weeks to induce hyperhomocysteinemia and associated vascular dementia in male rats. Ambrisentan was administered to L-methionine-treated effect rats for 4 weeks (starting from $5^{th}$ to $8^{th}$ week of L-methionine treatment). On $52^{nd}$ day onward, the animals were exposed to the Morris water maze (MWM) for testing their learning and memory abilities. Vascular endothelial function, serum nitrite/nitrate levels, brain thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS), brain reduced glutathione (GSH) levels, and brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity were also measured. L-methionine-treated animals showed significant learning and memory impairment, endothelial dysfunction, decrease in/serum nitrite/nitrate and brain GSH levels along with an increase in brain TBARS levels and AChE activity. Ambrisentan significantly improved hyperhomocysteinemia-induced impairment of learning, memory, endothelial dysfunction, and changes in various biochemical parameters. These effects were comparable to that of donepezil serving as positive control. It is concluded that ambrisentan, a selective $ET_A$ receptor antagonist may be considered as a potential pharmacological agent for the management of hyperhomocysteinemia-induced vascular dementia.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.471-476
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• 2006

Chongmyung-tang(CMT, 聰明湯), oriental herbal medicine which consists of Polygaglae Radix(遠志), Acori Graminei Rhizoma(石菖蒲) and Hoelen(白茯神) has effect on amnesia, dementia. In order to evaluate effect of CMT on memory and learning in mice, CMT extract was used for studies. This paper describes the effects of CMT extract on memory and learning processes by using the passive and active avoidance performance tests, novel object recognition task and water maze task. The CMT extract ameliorated the memory retrieval deficit induced by ethanol in the passive avoidance responses but did not affect ambulatory activity of normal mice. These results suggest that CMT has an ameliorating effect on memory retrieval impairment. CMT extract decreased spontaneous motor activity(SMA) in the latter sessions of memory registration in active avoidance responses. These results suggest that CMT has partly transquilizing or antianxiety effects. In novel object recognition task to measure visual recognition memory, CMT-administered mice enhanced in long term memory for 1-3 days. In water maze task to measure spatial learning, which requires the activation of NMDA receptors in the hippocampus, spatial learning in CMT-administered mice was faster than in wild-type mice. These results suggest that CMT enhances memory and activates NMDA receptors.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.333-341
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• 1986

Several aspects including physical development, reflex acquistion, neuromotor development and learning behavior at Y water maze were compared at the progeny of rats fed low 91.2mg/kg diet) or adequate leves(22mg/kg diet 0 of pyridoxine during growth, gestation, lactation, and adult period. Physical development and development of reflexes (righting reflex, cliff avoidance, negative geotaxis, palmar grasp, and startle reflex to sound) appeared different between control and deficient groups but not significantly. At the 2nd week, rats spent more time in supported standing during 6 minute period was longer in the control then the deficient groups. In the Y-water maze position reversal test, learning ability as judged by the number of errors was not different among three groups, but the rats in supplemented group(DC) reached the escape platform in significantly shorter time than the other two groups, which may suggest their emotional instability. In the visual discrimination test, the performance of rats from the supplemented group had the lower errors than the other groups on the early test days. but as the testing period progressed, the performance of rats in the supplemented group became inferior to those of the control and deficient groups. The performance of control group became superior to that of the deficient group.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.40-48
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• 2011

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of Gonjadaesungchimjoongbang on spatial learning abilities and memories in ischemic brain injury. Methods: Rats were separated into three groups; (1) Normal, (2) Saline medication after ischemic brain injuries (control), (3) Gonjadaesungchimjoongbang medication after ischemic brain injuries (experiment). Ischemic brain injuries was induced by MCA occlusion and reperfusion. Morris water maze test was conducted for spatial learning and memory tests. Then, the change of BDNF in the hippocampus($7^{th}$, $14^{th}$ day) was examined by immunohistoche- mistry. Results: In Morris water maze test, spatial learning abilities and memory functioning were considerably increased in the experiment group as oppose to control group on $7^{th}$ and $14^{th}$ day(p<0.01). Moreover, immunohistochemistric response of BDNF in the hippocampus indicated that the more increased immune reaction was found in the experiment group as oppose to the control group on $7^{th}$ and $14^{th}$ day. Conclusions: Gonjadaesungchimjoongbang can improve the learning abilities and memories in ischemic brain injury.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.413-417
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• 2000

The effect of ischemia/reperfusion-induced neuronal damage on the memory impairment were investigated using active avoidance and Morris water maze tasks in Wistar rats. Focal ischemia was induced by 1 h occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery (MCA) of Wistar male rats. Reperfusion was induced by releasing the occlusion and restoring the blood circulation for 24 h. The acquisition and preservation memory tested by active avoidance showed a significant difference between the sham and ischemia/reperfusion group. The water maze acquisition performance was also significant difference between sham and ischemia/repefusion groups in both latency and moving distance. The infarction volume was increased by the ischemia/reperfusion. Furthermore, the cresyl violet staining of the ischemia/reperfusion brain showed severe neuronal damage (pyramidal cell loss) in the cortex in addition to the striatum lesion of brain. This study shows that pyramidal cell damage in the cortex lesion may be partially related to memorial disturbance in the ischemia/reperfusion brain injury.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.434-440
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• 2005

This study was conducted to find out the effect of Bojungikgitanggamibang(BIT) on growth, learning and memory of rats. The effects of BIT on learning and memory performance were examined in normal or memory impaired mice by using water maze task. Memory was impaired by 192 saporin. Body weight and growth of bone and tail of sample group were not significant compared with those of control groups. Acquisition test of water maze revealed that acqusitive ability of sample group significantly improved on 4,5th day compared with control group, while retentive ability of sample group was not significant. ChAT cell numbers of medial septum of sample group was significant compared with control group, and so was those of CA1, CA2 parts of hippocampus. On ChAT cell numbers of hippocampus, in CA2 part. These results suggest that BIT has an improving effect on the impaired learning through the effects on memory registration and retrieval.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.139-148
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• 1996

This study was designed to examine the effects of red ginseng total saponin and extract on spatial working memory in mice using Morris water maze. Two kinds of red ginseng saponin (No. 1 and No. 2) and three kinds of red ginseng extract (No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3) to have different PD/ PT ratio (No. 1=1.24, No.2=1.47 No.3=2.41) were prepared by mixing the different parts of red ginseng In different ratio. In acute administration of total saponin No. 1 or No. 2, escape time to reach to a hidden platform In a fixed location for training trials was significantly decreased as compared with control group and swimming time in the quadrant that had contained the platform was also significantly increased as compared with control group. In acute treatment of extract No. 1 or 1 No. 2, swimming time in the platformless quadrant was increased dose dependently as compared with control group, especially at dose of 200 mg/kg,bw swimming time was significantly Increased. Oral treatment of extract No. 1 (100 mg/kg, bw) for 7 days produced an increase of swimming time In the platformless quadrant but a decrease of swimming time in No.3-treated group (100 mg/kg, bw). These results show that red ginseng may improve spatial discrimination learning and spatial working memory of mice

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.212.1-212.1
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• 2003

The purpose of the this study was to characterize the putative anxiolytic-like effects of the aqueous extract of Albizzia julibrissin stem bark using the elevated plus maze (EPM) in rats. The water extract of Albizzia julibrissin was orally administered at 10, 50, 100 or 200 mg/kg to adult male SD rats, 1 h before behavioral evaluation in an EPM, respectively. Control rats were treated with an equal volume of saline, and positive control rats buspirone (1 mg/kg). Single or repeated treatment (for 7 days) of the water extract of Albizzia julibrissin (at 100 or 200 mg/kg) significantly increased time-spent and arm entries into the open arms of the EPM, and decreased time-spent and arm entries in the closed arms of the EPM versus saline controls (P ＜ 0.05). (omitted)

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.57 no.5
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• pp.323-329
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• 2013

This study was designed to determine and compare the cognitive enhancing effect of various Codonopsis lanceolata extracts by steaming, fermentation and high hydrostatic pressure process. We prepared water extract of C. lanceolata, steamed C. lanceolata, steamed and fermented C. lanceolata and C.lanceolata by high hydrostatic pressure process and fermentation. Cognitive enhancing effect of extracts was evaluated in scopolamine-induced memory impairment mice using by passive avoidance test and Morris water maze tests. MTT assay was conducted to investigate neuroprotective effect on glutamate induced cell death in HT22 cells. Steamed and fermented C. lanceolata water extract decreased escape latency in Morris water maze test and increased the latency time of the passive avoidance test compared to other extracts. Furthermore, the steamed and fermented C. lanceolata water extract showed neuroprotective effect. These results suggest that steaming and fermentation process more improve cognitive enhancing effect of C. lanceolata than other process.