• 한국전문물리치료학회지
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• 제10권3호
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• pp.17-27
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• 2003

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) modulates cortical excitability beyond the duration of the rTMS trains themselves. Depending on rTMS parameters, a lasting inhibition or facilitation of cortical excitability can be induced. Therefore, rTMS of high or low frequency over motor cortex may change certain aspects of motor learning performance and cortical activation. This study investigated the effect of high and low frequency subthreshold rTMS applied to the motor cortex on motor learning of sequential finger movements and brain activation using functional MRI (fMRI). Three healthy right-handed subjects (mean age 23.3) were enrolled. All subjects were trained with sequences of seven-digit rapid sequential finger movements, 30 minutes per day for 5 consecutive days using their left hand. 10 Hz (high frequency) and 1 Hz (low frequency) trains of rTMS with 80% of resting motor threshold and sham stimulation were applied for each subject during the period of motor learning. rTMS was delivered on the scalp over the right primary motor cortex using a figure-eight shaped coil and a Rapid(R) stimulator with two Booster Modules (Magstim Co. Ltd, UK). Functional MRI (fMRI) was performed on a 3T ISOL Forte scanner before and after training in all subjects (35 slices per one brain volume TR/TE = 3000/30 ms, Flip angle $60^{\circ}$, FOV 220 mm, $64{\times}64$ matrix, slice thickness 4 mm). Response time (RT) and target scores (TS) of sequential finger movements were monitored during the training period and fMRl scanning. All subjects showed decreased RT and increased TS which reflecting learning effects over the training session. The subject who received high frequency rTMS showed better performance in TS and RT than those of the subjects with low frequency or sham stimulation of rTMS. In fMRI, the subject who received high frequency rTMS showed increased activation of primary motor cortex, premotor, and medial cerebellar areas after the motor sequence learning after the training, but the subject with low frequency rTMS showed decreased activation in above areas. High frequency subthreshold rTMS on the motor cortex may facilitate the excitability of motor cortex and improve the performance of motor sequence learning in normal subject.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.152-162
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• 2020

Cerebral ischemia exhibits a multiplicity of pathophysiological mechanisms. During ischemic stroke, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentration rises to a peak during reperfusion, possibly underlying neuronal death. Recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO) supplementation is one method of treating neurodegenerative disease by reducing the generation of ROS. We investigated the therapeutic effect of PEGylated EPO (P-EPO) on ischemic stroke. Mice were administered P-EPO (5,000 U/kg) via intravenous injection, and middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) followed by reperfusion was performed to induce in vivo ischemic stroke. P-EPO ameliorated MCAO-induced neurological deficit and reduced behavioral disorder and the infarct area. Moreover, lipid peroxidation, expression of inflammatory proteins (cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase), and cytokine levels in blood were reduced by the P-EPO treatment. In addition, higher activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) was found in the brain after MCAO, but NF-κB activation was reduced in the P-EPO-injected group. Treatment with the NF-κB inhibitor PS-1145 (5 mg/kg) abolished the P-EPO-induced reduction of infarct volume, neuronal death, neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress. Moreover, P-EPO was more effective than EPO (5,000 U/kg) and similar to a tissue plasminogen activator (10 mg/kg). An in vitro study revealed that P-EPO (25, 50, and 100 U/mL) treatment protected against rotenone (100 nM)-induced neuronal loss, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and NF-κB activity. These results indicate that the administration of P-EPO exerted neuroprotective effects on cerebral ischemia damage through anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties by inhibiting NF-κB activation.

• 인지과학
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.429-446
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• 2010

본 연구는 경기장에서 스포츠 팬들이 자신이 응원하는 팀의 경기 승패에 따라 경험하는 긍정, 부정 정서가 정서의 편측화를 보이는 지를 fMRI 실험을 통하여 살펴보는 것이다. 이를 위해 S 프로야구 구단 팬 12명을 대상으로 S구단이 승리한 장면과 패배한 장면을 보여주었다. 측정결과, 승리장면을 지켜본 피험자들의 좌우 쐐기소엽, 우하후두이랑, 우하전두이랑, 좌편도체, 우해마옆이랑, 좌갈고리, 좌대상이랑, 좌하측두이랑, 우중측두이랑, 좌소뇌비탈, 좌소뇌정상 영역에서 활성화 반응이 나타났다. 반면에 패배장면을 지켜본 피험자들의 우중간전두이랑, 좌전대상회, 좌소이랑, 좌조가비핵, 좌창백핵, 좌배쪽전핵, 좌시상, 좌전장, 좌뇌섬엽 영역에서 활성화 반응이 나타났다. 본 연구결과 정서가의 반구비대칭 증거가 뚜렷하게 나타나지 않았으며 승리자극에서는 나타난 편도체의 활성이 패배자극에서는 나타나지 않아 패배정서 유발에 보다 심층적인 연구가 필요할 것으로 보아졌다.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.209-213
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• 2009

Caenorhabditis elegans is a free living soil nematode and thus in its natural habitat, C. elegans encounters many different species of soil bacteria. Although some soil bacteria may be excellent sources of nutrition for the worm, others may be pathogenic. Thus, we undertook a study to understand how C. elegans can identify their preferred food using a simple behavioral assay. We found that there are various species of soil bacteria that C. elegans prefers in comparison to the standard laboratory E. coli strain OP50. In particular, two bacterial strains, Bacillus mycoides and Bacillus soli, were preferred strains. Interestingly, the sole feeding of these bacteria to wild type animals results in extended lifespan through the activation of the autophagic process. Further studies will be required to understand the precise mechanism controlling the behavior of identification and selection of food in C. elegans.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제12권4호
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• pp.405-411
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• 2006

Heterotrimeric GTP binding proteins (G proteins) mediate signal transduction generated by neurotransmitter and hormones. Among G-proteins, Go is classified as a member of the Go/Gi family and the most abundant heterotrimeric G protein in brain. Most of the mechanistic analyses on the activation of Go indicated its action to be mediated by the $G{\beta}{\gamma}$ dimer because downstream effectors for its ${\alpha}$ subunit have not been clearly defined. To determine the downstream effectors of alpha subunits of Go ($Go{\alpha}$), we used yeast two-hybrid system to screen $Go{\alpha}$ interacting partners in cDNA library from the human brain. A brain specific high mobility group box containing protein (BHX), A possible transcription factor, was identified as a $Go{\alpha}$ interacting protein. We confirmed interaction between $Go{\alpha}$ and BHX employing in vitro affinity binding assay. Moreover, active form of $Go{\alpha}$ preferentially interacts with BHX than inactive farm. Our findings indicate that $Go{\alpha}$ could modulate gene expression via interaction with BHX during neuronal or brain development.

• 약학회지
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• 제39권3호
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• pp.231-242
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• 1995

Electroconvulsive shock (ECS) increases the activity of acetylchohnesterase and decreases in brain acetylcholine levels. A large amount of free fatty acids accumulated in the brain tissue affects cerebral blood flow, brain edema and inflammation and results in brain injury. The present study examined the effect of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and D,L-pyroglutamic acid (D,L-PCA) on the learning and memory deficit using the passive avoidance failure technique and on the change of acetylcholine and choline level in the cerebral cortex of ECS-induced mice. The application of ECS (25mA, 0.5sec) induced a significant decrease in memory function for 30 min. ECS-induced a significant decrease in cortical acetylcholine and choline levels 1 min following the ECS application, which were almost recovered to ECS control level after 30 min. DHA (20 mg/kg, i.p.). administered 24 hr before shock. prevented the ECS-induced passive avoidance failure and the decrease of acetylcholine level 1 min following the ECS application. DHA failed to elicit a change in cortical choline level. DHA did not affect memory function and the cortical Ach and choline level of normal mice. The administration of D,L-PCA (500 mg/kg, i.p.) increased the effect of DHA on memory function and the change of cortical acetylcholine level of ECS induced mice. These results suggest that DHA treatment may be contributed to the prevention against memory deficit, and to the activation of cholinergic system in the ECS induced mice.

• 대한치매학회지
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.48-53
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• 2017

Background and Purpose Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT) is a well-known and commonly used measure of creativity. However, the TTCT-induced creative hemodynamic brain activity is rarely revealed. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the neural correlates of creative thinking in the setting of a modified version of the figural TTCT adapted for an functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiment. Methods We designed a blocked fMRI experiment. Twenty-five participants (11 males, 14 females, mean age $19.9{\pm}1.8$) were asked to complete the partially presented line drawing of the figural TTCT (creative drawing imagery; creative). As a control condition, subjects were asked to keep tracking the line on the screen (line tracking; control). Results Compared to the control condition, creative condition revealed greater activation in the distributed and bilateral brain regions including the left anterior cingulate, bilateral frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital regions as shown in the previous creativity studies. Conclusions The present revealed the neural basis underlying the figural TTCT using fMRI, providing an evidence of brain areas encompassing the figural TTCT. Considering the significance of a creativity test for dementia patients, the neural correlates of TTCT elucidated by this study may be valuable to evaluate the brain function of patients in the clinical field.

• 한국감성과학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국감성과학회 2009년도 춘계학술대회
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• pp.109-112
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in the brain activation evoked by music arranged in major and minor key used with an identical motion film during the fMRI testing. A part of the audio-visual combinations composed by Iwamiya and Sano were used for the study stimuli. This audio- visual clip was originally developed by combining a small motion segment of the animation "The Snowman" and music arranged in both major and minor key from the original jazz music "Avalon" rewritten in a classical style. Twenty-seven Japanese male graduate and undergraduate students participated in the study. Brain regions more activated by the major key than the minor key when presented with the identical motion film were the left cerebellum, the right fusiform gyrus, the right superior occipital, the left superior orbito frontal, the right pallidum, the left precuneus, and the bilateral thalamus. On the other hand, brain regions more activated by the minor key than the major key when presented with the identical motion film were the right medial frontal, the left inferior orbito frontal, the bilateral superior parietal, the left postcentral, and the right precuneus. The study showed a difference in brain regions activated between the two different stimulus (i.e., major key and minor key) controlling for the visual aspect of the experiment. These findings imply that our brain systematically generates differently in the way it processes music written in major and minor key(Supported by the User Science Institute of Kyushu University, Japan and the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation).

• 한국컴퓨터그래픽스학회논문지
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.101-111
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• 2022

조건부 자율주행 차량은 주행 상황에 따라 운전자에게 제어권을 인계해야 한다. 그러나 운전자가 비운전 과제에 몰입해 있다면, 상황에 맞는 의사결정을 하지 못할 수 있다. 선행연구에서는 주행 방향정보를 제공하는 단서 자극 (Cue)이 제어권 전환 성능을 높인다는 것을 확인했으나, 이러한 방법론이 실제 운전자의 뇌 활성도에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구는 매우 제한적이다. 따라서 본 연구는 조건부 자율주행에서 제어권 전환 시, Cue에 따른 운전자의 뇌 활동을 평가한다. 총 25명의 피험자가 운전 시뮬레이터를 활용한 제어권 전환 성능에 평가를 수행하였다. 뇌 활동의 평가를 위해서는 혈액 내 산화 헤모글로빈 농도 변화를 통해 뇌 활성화를 측정하는 기능적 근적외 분광법이 사용되었으며 뇌 영역 중 전전두피질 (Prefrontal Cortex; PFC)의 활성화를 평가했다. 실험결과, Cue가 존재하는 경우 운전자의 PFC가 활성화되어 안정적인 제어권 전환 성능이 형성됨을 확인하였다. 본 연구는 Cue가 운전자의 뇌 활성도에 미치는 영향을 정량적으로 확인하였다는 점에서, 향후 조건부 자율주행에서 생체반응을 활용한 제어권 전환 성능 평가 연구에 기여할 수 있을 것으로 예상된다.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.77-81
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• 2008

Testis brain RNA-binding protein (TB-RBP) is a DNA/RNA binding protein. TB-RBP is mainly expressed in testis and brain and highly conserved protein with several functions, including chromosomal translocations, DNA repair, mitotic cell division, and mRNA transport, stabilization, and storage. In our previous study, we identified TB-RBP as an interacting partner for the catalytic subunit $(C{\alpha})$ of protein kinase A(PKA) and verified their interaction with several biochemical analyses. Here, we confirmed interaction between $C{\alpha}$. and TB-RBP in mammalian cells and determined the effect of $C{\alpha}$. on the function of TB-RBP. The activation of $C{\alpha}$. increased the TB-RBP function as a DNA-binding protein. These results suggest that the function of TB-RBP can be modulated by PKA and provide insights into the diverse role of PKA.