• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.20-44
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• 2003

Schizophrenics suffer not only psychotic symptoms but also cognitive deficits such as an attentional difficulty, memory impairment, poor abstraction, etc. These cognitive abnormalities have been reported to be significantly related to the social and occupational outcome in schizophrenia. Thus, it is important to explore the cause and pathophysiology for the cognitive abnormalities in patients with schizophrenia. In this regard, hippocampus is one of the most promising brain areas to search for the clue because it is closely involved in memory related function. In fact, during the past several decades, there have been extensive studies supporting hippocampal abnormalities as a cause of schizophrenia in both clinical and preclinical field. In this review, basic anatomical knowledge about hippocampus and major findings of preclinical and clinical studies which investigated the correlation between schizophrenia and hippocampus were highlighted. The contents are 1) anatomical structure of hippocampus, 2) neuronal pathway and receptor distribution in hippocampus, 3) function of hippocampus, 4) hippocampal animal model for schizophrenia, 5) hippocampus-related studies on antipsychotic drugs, and 6) clinical studies in hippocampus in patients with schizophrenia.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.42-45
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• 2013

Single specimen (68 mm TL) of the Shiho's seahorse Hippocampus sindonis collected from Geomun Island was described as a first record from Korea. The species is characterized by having 15 dorsal fin-rays, 14 pectoral fin-rays, snout length 2.8 in HL, trunk rings 10, and tail rings 37. A new Korean name, "Sin-do-hae-ma" is proposed.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.323-334
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• 1996

Male Mongolian gerbils $(60{\sim}80g)$ were given DL-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO; 250mg/kg, ip) and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG; 50 mg/k, ip), respectively, 1 h prior to transient (7 min) occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries (OBC7) and a daily dose of one of them for 6 days after recirculation, and the polyamine contents, activities of ornithine and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylases (ODC and SAM-DC), and light microscopic findings of the hippocampus were evaluated. The hippocampal putrescine (PT) levels of the control gerbils treated with saline (STGr), markedly increased after OBC7, showing a peak level at 24 h after recirculation. The peak PT level was reduced in DFMO treated gerbils (DTCr) and in MGBG treated gerbils (MTGr). And 7 days after recirculation, the PT level of DTGr was decreased to about 75% of the PT level in the sham operated group (nonTGr) and to about 55% of the STGr level, respectively. The hippocampal spermidine (SD) level of STGr tended to decline, showing the lowest value at 8 h after recirculation. But the spermidine (SD) level of DTGr was somewhat higher at 8 h after OBC7 than those of STGr and MTGr The hippocampal spermine (SM) levels of all the experimental groups were little changed for 7 days after OBC. OBC7 markedly increased the hippocampal ODC activity. reaching a maximum (about 3 times higher than preischemic level) at 8 h and rapidly recovered to the control value by 24 h in STGr gerbils, and the OBC7-induced increase of ODC activity was significantly attenuated by DFMO or MGBG treatment. Whereas OBC7 induced a rapid decrease of the hippocampal SAMDC activity follwed by gradual recovery to the preischemic level, and the decrease of the SAMDC activity was slightly attenuated by DFMO or MGBG treatment. 7 Days after OBC7 the histological finding of the hippocampal complex stained with cresyl violet showed an extensive delayed neuronal damage in the CA1 region and to a lesser extent, in the dentate gyrus, sparing the CA3 region. And the neuronal death was aggevated by DFMO but significantly attenuated by MGBG. The immunochemical reactivity of hippocampus to anti-GFAP antibody was significantly increased in the CA1 region and to a lesser extent, in the dentate gyrus 7 days after OBC7, but was little changed in the CA3. And the increase of the anti-GFAP immunoreactivity was moderately enhanced by DFMO and significantly suppressed by MGBG. These results suggest that the polyamine metabolism may play a modulatory role in the ischemic brain damage.

• Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-24
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• 2013

The elderly population continues to increase in Korea and there has been a growing interest in understanding normal aging. In response to this public interest, the present paper reviewed human aging research focusing on recently published neuroimaging studies. For the first half of the paper, I reviewed the effects of aging on the brain and cognition. In normal aging, structural changes in the brain include atrophy and volume reduction in the prefrontal and temporal cortices. Functional changes are exhibited in the form of overactivation of the brain. Moreover, age-related cognitive decline is particularly observed in inhibition and memory, which are also associated with the age-related structural changes in the brain. For the second half of the paper, I introduced physical exercise studies showing that exercise played a protective role in the age-related neurocognitive decline. More specifically, engaging in physical exercise (particularly, aerobic exercise) for a relatively long period of time (e. g., > 6 mon.) protected older adults from volume loss in the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus, and induced better inhibition and memory. These exercise-induced benefits appear to be associated with changes in neuronal levels, indicating that the aging brain is still plastic and this plasticity can be enhanced by physical exercise.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.1479-1484
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• 2008

Deep seawater (DSW) refers to water extracted from the ocean, usually at depths of 200 meters or more, which is rich in inorganic materials and has attracted attention for various applications. We investigated the effects of the DSW on the synaptic maturation of cultured rat hippocampal neurons. Immunocytochemical examination of DIV21 showed that PSD-95, $\alpha$CaMKII, and synGAP$\alpha1$clusters were strengthened and coupling rates of SV2 and NR2B were significantly increased in neurons grown in the presence of H-800 and H-1000 DSW. Our results indicate that DSW promotes the formation of excitatory postsynaptic signal transduction complexes NRC/MASC and functional synapses.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1995.04a
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• pp.95-95
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• 1995

뇌신경 변성 / 퇴행과 관련된 중요한 병인론 중의 하나는 변성 과정에서 형성된 유리기(free radical)로 인한 항산화계의 평형 소실로 알려져 있다. Aspalatone (APT)의 예상되는 항산화 효능을 검정하기 위하여 본 실험에서는 Kainic acid (KA) 유발 뇌변성 모델을 적용하였다. KA 모델은 변연계의 간질성 경련과 신경세포 변성에 대하여 재현성 있는 병변 모델을 제공해 주며, 이와 같은 신경세포의 병독 기전에 산소 유리기가 관여함이 강력히 시사되고 있기 때문이다. KA 투여로 인하여 지속적이고도 전형적인 간질성 경련이 관찰되고 1일 이내에 높은 치사율을 보였으나 APT으로 인하여 그 간질성 경련 행위와 비율이 억제되고 KA 유발 치사율도 억제되었다. 최종 KA 투여 3일 후에 얻어진 흰쥐 해마 및 대뇌 피질에서 항산화 효소인 Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Catalase (Cat.), Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) 및 과산화지질의 지표인 Malondialdehyde (MDA)를 검정하였다. 대조군에 비하여 KA는 뇌조직의 SOD-1을 유도하였으나, Cat.와 GSH-PX의 활성은 현저히 유도되지 않았고, 반면에 MDA 치는 현저히 증가하였다. 즉, Cat., GSH-PX와 같은 $H_2O$$_2$중화제가 동반 유도하지 않는 SOD의 유도는 세포내 축적되는 $H_2O$$_2$로 인하여 Fenton/Haber-Weiss 반응을 가속화하여 과산화지질화를 촉진함을 시사한다. APT 병용 투여로 SOD는 현저히 유도되지 않았으나 특히 Cat.가 현저히 유도되어지고 MDA는 억제되었다. 이와 같은 생화학적인 결과는 다음의 형태학적인 소견과 일치한다. Fos 관련 항원 (FRA)와 SOD-1을 면역세포화학 (Immunocytochemistry)적 방법으로 이중 표식 (double-labelling) 하였다. FRA는 KA로 인한 신경세포의 자극에 대한 지표로 응용하였고, SOD-1은 퇴행성 뇌질환에서 산화적 손상의 지표로 사용하였다. KA 투여로 해마의 dentate gyrus (DG) 내에 강한 면역환성 (immunoreactivity)이 나타났고 pyramidal cell layer (PCL)와 glia에 SOD-1이 강하게 염색되었다. APT 병용 투여로 상당수의 경련이 일어나지 않은 흰쥐는 해마의 DG에 FRA가 경미하게 염색되었고, PCL에 SOD-1도 경미하게 나타났으나, 경련이 나타난 쥐에서는 KA만을 투여한 흰쥐와 구별되지 않았다. 이상의 APT의 항산화 효과는 KA로 인한 뇌세포 변성 개선에 중요한 인자로 작용할 것으로 사료되나, 보다 명확한 APT의 기전을 검색하고 직접 임상에 응응하기 위하여는 보다 다양한 실험 조건이 보완되어야 찰 것으로 생각된다.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.11
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• pp.1526-1531
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• 2011

Local protein synthesis in neuronal dendrites is important for site-specific regulation of synaptic plasticity. In this study, we investigated whether translation initiation factors (eIFs) are present at the postsynaptic sites. High resolution confocal microscopy showed that the eIF4E and eIF4G (which bind the 5'-terminal mRNA cap), eIF5 (which is important during the 3' direction scanning to find an initiation codon), eIF6 (which mediates upregulation of translation by external stimuli), and eIF5A (which mediate translation upregulation under adverse conditions) were localized to the post-synaptic sites. Immunoblot and detergent extraction experiments also indicated that these eIFs were present in the synapse in association with the postsynaptic density (PSD). Our data provide evidence for the strategic positioning of eIFs at the postsynaptic site for initiation of translation in diverse situations.

• Journal of KIISE
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.54-60
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• 2016

Brain gene expression information is closely related to the structural and functional characteristics of the brain. Thus, extensive research has been carried out on the relationship between gene expression patterns and the brain's structural organization. In this study, Principal Component Analysis was used to extract features of gene expression patterns, and genes were automatically classified by spatial distribution. Voxels were then clustered with classified specific region expressed genes. Finally, we visualized the clustering results for mouse hippocampal region gene expression with the Allen Brain Atlas. This experiment allowed us to classify the region-specific gene expression of the mouse hippocampal region and provided visualization of clustering results and a brain atlas in an integrated manner. This study has the potential to allow neuroscientists to search for experimental groups of genes more quickly and design an effective test according to the new form of data. It is also expected that it will enable the discovery of a more specific sub-region beyond the current known anatomical regions of the brain.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.89-97
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• 1991

As it has been reported that the depolarization-induced release of acetylcholine(ACh) is diminished by activation of presynaptic muscarinic autoreceptor in rabbit hippocampus and various lines of evidence indicate the involvement of adenylate cyclase system in ACh release, it was attempted to delineate the role of cAMP in the muscarinic autoreceptor-mediated control of ACh release. Slices and synaptosomal preparations from rabbit hippocampus were incubated with $[^3H]-choline$ and the release of the labelled products was evoked either by electrical stimulation or by $high-K^+$, and the influence of various agents on the evoked tritium release was investigated. Forskolin, a specific adenylate cyclase activator, in concentrations ranging from $0.1\;to\;30\;{\mu}M$, increased the $[^3H]-ACh$ release in a dose-dependent manner and also dbcAMP increased the tritium outflow. The responses to oxotremorine, a specific muscarinic agonist, were characterized by decrement of ACh release in dose range of $0.1-30\;{\mu}M$, and the oxotremorine effects were inhibited either by forskolin or by atropine. Glibenclamide, a specific $K^+-channel$ inhibitor, in concentration of $1{\sim}10\;{\mu}M$, decreased the evoked ACh release slightly and inhibited the enhancing effect of evoked ACh-release of a large dose$(10\;{\mu}M)$ of forskolin. These results indicate that the cAMP might play a role in the muscarinic ACh receptor-mediated control of ACh rlease in the rabbit hippocampus and suggest that certain potassium currents may also be participated in the post-receptor mechanism of ACh release.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.1 s.81
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• pp.12-17
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• 2007

Curcumin is a natural phenolic yellow curry spice, derived from the tumeric, which has been used for the treatment of diseases associated with oxidative stress and inflammation. Curcumin is known to have both anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. These properties can be beneficial to protect the brain from the neurodegenerative diseases. We now report the neuroprotective effects of curcumin pretreatment in primary hippocampal neurons to glutamate-induced excitotoxicity. Pretreatment of embryonic mouse hippocampal cell cultures with low does of curcumin protected neurons against glutamate-induced death, however, this neuroprotection was not correlated with the modulation of oxidative stress. Interestingly, high dose of curcumin showed the cytotoxicity in primary cultured hippocampal neurons. Immunoblot analyses showed that levels of stress response. protein HSP70 were significantly elevated in neurons exposed to low dose of curcumin, whereas levels of cleaved PARP were increased in neurons exposed to high dose of curcumin. These findings show that curcumin can modulate neuronal responses to glutamate, and suggest possible use of curcumin and related compounds in the prevention and/or treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.