• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.56-68
• /
• 2001

Objective : Functional brain mapping study on acupuncture stimulation using the [14C]2-deoxyglucose([14C]2-DG) autoradiography provides quantitative data and visualized pathway in central nervous system(CNS). We aimed to investigate the neural pathway and spatial distribution of metabolic activity elicited in CNS on electroacupuncture stimulation using [14C]2-DG autoradiography. Methods : The study were divided into three groups by stimulation times. 45-mins stimulation group according to Sokoloffs method, 5-mins stimulation group according to Duncun's method, and 15-mins stimulation group. ;A venous catheter was equipped into right jugular vein. The rats (Sprague-Dawley rats, 230-260g) were kept fastened loosely on a holding platform without anesthesia. Electroacupuncture stimulation (5 ms, 2 Hz, 1~3 mA) were applied on the left Zusanli (ST36) acupoint and [14C]2-DG ($25{\mu}Ci/rat$) injection was performed through the catheter. After sacrifice, the brain and the spinal cord were made to sections for film image. The film images were digitalized as the isotope concentration based upon comparison of optical densities with that of the standards and normalized by the optical density of corpus callosum. Results : 1. 15-mins stimulation group was most effective among 3 experiments. 2. On 15-mins stimulation group, medial geniculate nucleus, intetpeduncular nucleus intermedius, ventral periolivary nucleus, caudal periolivary nucleus, medial superior olive, lateral paragigantocellular nucleus, including hypothalamic arcuate nucleus were increased by more than 25% (at least, p<0.05) by electroacupuncture stimulation. 3. Especially, the metabolism in hypothalamic arcuate nucleus was increased by 90% (p<0.05). 4. The fact that arcuate nucleus of hypothalamus might play a role of interconnection area between ascending and descending pathway of acupuncture stimulation was demonstrated visually. Conclusions : Advanced study on electroacupuncture stimulation elicited significant increase of metabolic activity in various nuclei of hypothalamus will provide the important experimental basis in research of the relationship between electroacupuncture stimulation and internal visceral functions.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.49-60
• /
• 2018

Trait anger is one of the psychological traits associated with experiences of anger. Individuals with high trait anger become angry easily at trivial events, and experience anger more frequently, intensely, and over a longer duration. This study aimed to investigate neural responses during experiences of anger, and identify the neural correlates of trait anger. Thirty five adults participated in the functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) experiment. They were scanned while they recalled an anger-inducing memory that was supposed to evoke an experience of anger. During the angry recall compared to the emotionally neutral recall, our participants showed greater neural activation in the right superior temporal gyrus (BA38), left inferior frontal gyrus (BA45), right thalamus, right insula (BA13), bilateral cuneus (BA17), and right cerebellum anterior lobe. The correlation analysis revealed that trait anger scores were positively associated with right insula activity during the angry recall. Individuals with higher trait anger were more likely to show greater activity in the right insula in response to past experiences of anger, as previously implicated in various studies of emotional processing. This finding suggests that trait anger may be an important factor in modulating anger-related brain activity.

• Herbal Formula Science
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.49-69
• /
• 2005

This Study was designed to investigate the effect of Sunkihwalhyul -Tang extract(SHT) on the change of cerebral hemodynamics [regional cerebral blood flow(rCBF), pial arterial diameter(PAD) and mean arterial blood pressure(MABP)] in normal and cerebral ischemic rats, and further to determine the mechanisms of action of SHT on hemodynamics. In addition, this study was designed to investigate whether SHT inhibits lactate dehydrog enase(LDH) activity in neuronal cells and cytokines production in serum of cerebral ischemic rats. The results were as follows 1. SHT significantly increased rCBF and PAD in a dose-dependent manner, but MABP was not changed by injecting SHT. These results suggest that SHT significantly increases rCBF by dilating PAD. 2. The SHT-induced increase in rCBF was significantly inhibited by pretreatment with indomethacin(IDN, 1 mg/kg, i.p.), an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase and methylene blue(MTB, $10{\mu}g/kg$, i.p.), an inhibitor of guanylate cyclase. 3. The SHT-induced dilation in PAD was significantly inhibited by pretreatment with IDN and MTB. 4. The SHT-induced some increase in MABP was significantly increased by pretreatment with IDN. These results suggest that the mechanism of action of SBT is mediated by guanylate cyclase. 5. Both rCBF and PAD were significantly and stably increased by SHT(10 mg/kg, i.p.) during the period of cerebral reperfusion, which contrasted with the findings of rapid and marked increase in control group. 6. SBH significantly inhibited LDH activity in neuronal cells. These results suggest that SHT prevents the neuronal death. 7. In cytokine production in the senlm drawn from femoral artery 1 hr after middlecerebral arterial occlusion, sample group showed significantly decreased production of IL-1$\beta$ production, decreased production TNF-$\alpha$ and increased Production of IL-10 compared with control group. 8. In cytokine production in the serum drawn femoral artery 1 hr after reperfusion, sample group showed significantly decreased production of IL-1$\beta$ and TNF-$\alpha$ as wellas significantly increased production of IL10 compared with control group. These results suggest that SHT mediated by guanylate cyclase has inhibitive effect on the brain damage by inhibiting LDH activity, IL-1$\beta$ and TNF-$\alpha$ production, and by accelerating IL-10 production. The present author thinks that SHT has an anti-ischemic effects through the improvement of cerebral hemodynamics and inhibitive enects on the brain damage.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.109-115
• /
• 1997

This study was designed to investigate the effects of methionine(Met) on the activities of brain lipid peroxidation related enzymes in ethanol administrated rats of selenium(Se) deficiency. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed Se deficiency diets containing one of the three levels of Met (0, 3, 9g/kg diet) and ethanol(2.5g/kg of body weight) was administrated as 25v/v% ethanol treated groups orally. The rats sacrificed after 5 and 10 weeks of feeding periods. Alcohol dehydrogenase activity was increased in ethanol treated groups and was higher Met normal group than Met deficiency and excessive groups at 5 and 10 weeks dieting. Aldehyde dehydrogenase activity was decreased in ethanol treated groups and significantly decreased in Met deficiency group. Monoamine oxidase activity in brain was increased in ethanol treated groups and was predominently increased in Met deficiency groups. Superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities were decreased in ethanol treated groups and tended to increase in proportion to level of dietary methionine. Glutathione S-transferase and catalase activities and lipid peroxide content were increased by ethanol administration and were higher Met deficiency group than normal and excessive groups.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.89-103
• /
• 2006

Objectives: Recently, the effect of acupuncture has been approved not only in the East but also in the West, so the interest on acupuncture was greatly improved. Especially, functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI) was embossed as the study tool for the mechanism of acupuncture noninvasively and many studies on the mechanism of acupuncture using fMRI were carried out. We archived the fMRI study on the brain activity induced by manual acupuncture at BL62(申脈). Methods: The study was the acupuncture at BL62(申脈) and we acquired 9 fMRI results from 6 persons$(age\;20{\sim}30,\;4\;male\;and\;2\;female)$. These studies employed The block design for mapping brain activity and acupuncture was perfomed at BL62(申脈) on the left foot. Results: The brain related motor function was cerebellum, basal ganglia and cerebral cortex and thalamus connected these elements. In the result of this study, the regions of significant activation in the cerebellum was centered on the spinocerebellum in the anterior lobe, so we presumed that this result showed the input of stimulation by the acupuncture on BL62(申脈). But basal ganglia and cerebral cortex showed the regions of significant activation in the left larger than the right and regions of the cerebral cortex was the motor and sensory cortex. Such a result explained that acupuncture at BL62(申脈) could have influence the motor function and acupuncture at left BL62(申脈) could affect the right side through the activation of the left basal ganglia and cerebral cortex. Conclusions: In the theory of crossing needling at collaterals(繆刺論), it the pathogenic factor invaded in the Yang Heel channel(陽?脈) that was one of the eight Extra meridians(奇經八脈), we recognized the disease of the collateral channel and used contralateral BL62(申脈) for treatment of the Yang Heel channel(陽?脈). Moreover the result of this study could bear the construction that acupuncture at the left BL62(申脈) treats the contralateral lesion and this construction is related to the theory of crossing needling at collaterals(繆刺論).

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.21 no.5
• /
• pp.1291-1296
• /
• 2007

The expressions of c-Fos and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) represent neuronal activity and play' a crucial role in the shaping of the development of brain. During the late pregnancy, stresses may influence neuronal activity of prenatal rats. In the present study, the effects of prenatal noise and music on the expressions of c-Fos and NOS in the hippocampus of rat pups were investigated. Exposure to the noise during pregnancy decreased c-Fos and NOS expressions in the hippocampus of rat pups, whereas exposure to music during pregnancy increased c-Fos and NOS expressions in the hippocampus of rat pups. The present results show that prenatal music stimulation may increase neuronal activity of rat offspring, whereas exposure to noise during pregnancy may reduce the neuronal activity of offspring. The present study suggests that prenatal stimuli including noise and music could affect the fetal brain development.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.37 no.4 s.147
• /
• pp.229-234
• /
• 2006

We examined the inhibitory activities against monoamine oxidase (MAO) of Taraxacum mongolicum in vitro and in vivo methods. Methanol extract of T. mongolicum showed significantly inhibitory activities on MAO-A and MAOB that were prepared from rat brain and liver in vitro. MAO-A and MAO-B activities were potently inhibited by chloroform fraction of T. mongolicum in vitro tests. The $IC_{50}$ values of each fraction on MAO-A are as followed; methanol extracts (0.90 mg/ml), $CHCl_3$ fraction (0.10 mg/ml), EtOAc fraction (0.36 mg/ml). and those on MAO-B are methanol extracts $(0.39{\mu}g/ml)$, $CHCl_3$ fraction $(0.18{\mu}g/ml)$, BuOH fraction $(0.22{\mu}g/ml)$. Those MAO-A and MAO-B activities in vivo tests have different tendency each other. MAO-A activity was increased by the oral administration of ethanol extract of T mon golicum, while MAO-B activity was decreased. The concentration of serotonin of brain tissue after oral administration of ethanolic extract of T. mongolicum is slightly increased in rat. This tendency is not different from the activity of deprenyl which is the well known MAO inhibitor used as a positive control. Based on these results, we can suggest that T. mongolicum may have the effects on the inhibitory activities against MAO. Thess activities of T. mongolicum is considerable for development of functional materials for the purpose of treatment and control of depressant, dementia, Parkinson' disease, stress and promoting exercise.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.13-17
• /
• 1997

Carbamazepine (CBZ), an anticonvulsant, has beeen reported to displace ligands at adenosine receptors. Several studies have demonstrated that as far as $A_2$adenosine receptors is concerned, CBZ acts as an antagonist. However, the situation with regard to Al receptors is less straightforward. In this study, we describe the effects of one-week CBZ treatment (25 mg/kg/day) on cerebrocortical $A_1$ adenosine receptors. $A_1$ adenosine receptor bindings as determined by using $[^3CH]DPCPX$ was not significantly altered in membranes prepared from CBZ-treated rats. However, there was a significant decrease in the $A_1$ adenosine receptor-mediated stimulation of $[^{35}S]GTP_{\gamma}S$ binding to cerebrocortical membranes prepared from CBZ-treated rats (20.0% decrease in basal activity; 17.8% decrease in maximal activity). The basal and $10^{-4}$ M forskolin-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activities were relatively unaffected by CBZ treatment, but 10 mM NaF-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity was significantly reduced in CBZ-treated rats. It appears that one-week CBZ treatment caused an uncoupling of adenosine receptors from G proteins without alteration of $A_1$ adenosine receptor molecules, suggesting that CBZ acts as an agonist at $A_1$ adenosine receptors in rat brain.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.195-211
• /
• 2002

Gagamguibitang, a composite Korean medicinal drug prescribed by us, was evaluated for its sedative effects by measurements of potentiation on pentobarbital-induced sleeping time, anticonvulsive activities in animal model, inhibitory effect on GABA transaminase activity, and antioxidative activities in vitro- and/or in vivo assay. The results were summerized as follows : 1. Gagamguibitang showed about 2-fold prolongation of pentobarbital-induced sleeping time compared to the control group after administration(p.o) with 2.0g/kg of mice body weight. 2. Gagamguibitang strongly lengthened onset time of pentylenetetrazole-induced convulsion, shortened the duration of convulsion and diminished the lethality after treatment(p.o) with 1.0g/kg of mice body weight. 3. Gagamguibitang inhibited dose-dependently the brain GABA transaminase activity in vitro compared to the control group and in vivo compared to the pentylenetetrazole-treated group. 4. Gagamguibitang inhibited effectively brain lipid peroxidation by 45.8% at a dose of l0mg/ml in vitro and by 47.5% after oral treatment with 0.5g/kg of mice body weight in vivo assay. 5. Gagamguibitang exhibited a potent scavenging activity on DPPH radical in a dose-dependent manner with ca. 92% activity at l0mg/ml. As a result, Gagamguibitang can be useful for the effective sedative drug in clinical application.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.26 no.4 s.87
• /
• pp.458-465
• /
• 1998

The strain DGUM 5051, an antagonistic bacterium against apple-bitter rot causing Glomerella cingulata, was isolated from soil in Kyongju. Based on the morphological and physiological characteristics, the bacterium was identified as Pseudomonas sp. and named as Pseudomonas sp. DGUM 5051. The optimal pH and temperature for cell growth were pH 6.0 and $30^{\circ}C$, whereas those for antifungal activity were pH 7.0 and $24^{\circ}C$, respectively. Among the complex media tested, brucella medium, brain heart infusion medium and Luria-Bertani medium were good for both cell growth and antifungal activity. The high antifungal activity was found in the mineral salts medium, in which sucrose, $KNO_3$ and $K_2HPO_4$ were used as sources of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, respectively.