• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.299-306
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• 2013

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) has been widely used as a treatment for the movement disturbances caused by Parkinson's disease (PD). Despite successful application of DBS, its mechanism of therapeutic effect is not clearly understood. Because PD results from the degeneration of dopamine neurons that affect the basal ganglia (BG) network, investigation of neuronal responses of BG neurons during STN DBS can provide informative insights for the understanding of the mechanism of therapeutic effect. However, it is difficult to observe neuronal activity during DBS because of large stimulation artifacts. Here, we report the observation of neuronal activities of the globus pallidus (GP) in normal and PD model rats during electrical stimulation of the STN. A custom artifact removal technique was devised to enable monitoring of neural activity during stimulation. We investigated how GP neurons responded to STN stimulation at various stimulation frequencies (10, 50, 90 and 130 Hz). It was observed that activities of GP neurons were modulated by stimulation frequency of the STN and significantly inhibited by high frequency stimulation above 50 Hz. These findings suggest that GP neuronal activity is effectively modulated by STN stimulation and strongly dependent on the frequency of stimulation.

• 대한핵의학회지
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• 제8권1_2호
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• pp.39-47
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• 1974

The purpose of this study is to evalute the diagnostic value of the brain scanning and compare the diagnostic accuracy between the scan and carotid angiography. 109 cases which are proved by specific method to each disease, are analized to evalute the diagnostic value of the brain scanning. The 70 cases among the proven 109 case are performed both the scanning and the arteriography and analized to compare the accuracy between the scanning and the arteriography. The results are as follows; 1. The diagnostic accuracy of the brain scanning in the diseases of the central nervous system is 64.2%. 2. The diagnostic accuracy of the brain scanning in the brain tumor is 88%, especially brain abscess. glioma, glioblastoma multiforme, menirgioma and metastic tumor show high positive rate. 3. The diagnostic accuracy in the disease of the brain vessels is 54 %. 4. The comparison of the diagnostic value between the scanning and the arteriography is as follows; 1) The diagnostic value in all diseases of the central nervous system is nearly equal. 2) The diagnostic accuracy in the intracranial tumor is slightly higher in the brain scanning (90.9%) than in the arteriography (81.8%). 3) The diagnostic accuracy in the disease of the brain vessel is higher in the arteriography (77.3%) than in the scanning (54.5%). 5) The diagnostic value when combining the scanning and the arteriography, is 83% in the all central nervous system-lesions, 97% in the cranial tumor and 81.8% in the disease of the central nervous system-vessel. The brain scanning is simple and safe procedure, and moreover has excellent diagnostic value in the diagnosis of the central nervous system lesion.

• BMB Reports
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• 제55권1호
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• pp.20-29
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• 2022

Stem cell-based therapy is a promising approach for treating a variety of disorders, including acute brain insults and neurodegenerative diseases. Stem cells such as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) secrete extracellular vesicles (EVs), circular membrane fragments (30 nm-1 ㎛) that are shed from the cell surface, carrying several therapeutic molecules such as proteins and microRNAs. Because EV-based therapy is superior to cell therapy in terms of scalable production, biodistribution, and safety profiles, it can be used to treat brain diseases as an alternative to stem cell therapy. This review presents evidences evaluating the role of stem cell-derived EVs in stroke, traumatic brain injury, and degenerative brain diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson' disease. In addition, stem cell-derived EVs have better profiles in biocompatibility, immunogenicity, and safety than those of small chemical and macromolecules. The advantages and disadvantages of EVs compared with other strategies are discussed. Even though EVs obtained from native stem cells have potential in the treatment of brain diseases, the successful clinical application is limited by the short half-life, limited targeting, rapid clearance after application, and insufficient payload. We discuss the strategies to enhance the efficacy of EV therapeutics. Finally, EV therapies have yet to be approved by the regulatory authorities. Major issues are discussed together with relevant advances in the clinical application of EV therapeutics.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제57권6호
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• pp.287-291
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• 2014

Moyamoya disease is a cerebrovascular condition that results in the narrowing of the vessels of the circle of Willis and collateral vessel formation at the base of the brain. Although relationships between Graves' disease and cerebrovascular accidents in Moyamoya disease are obscure, the coexistence of the two diseases is noteworthy. Moyamoya disease has been rarely reported in adolescent patients with thyrotoxicosis. Recently, we encountered two adolescent Korean patients with Moyamoya disease associated with Graves' disease who presented with episodic right-sided hemiparesis and syncope. These two girls who had Graves' disease had no history of other diseases or head trauma. A thyroid function test revealed a euthyroid state and a high thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) receptor antibody titer at that time. The patients were diagnosed with Moyamoya disease based on brain magnetic resonance angiography and cerebral four-vessel angiography. The patients underwent cranial revascularization by encephalo-duroarterio-synangiosis as soon as a diagnosis was made, which resulted in successful symptom resolution. They fared well and had no additional neurological symptoms as of their last follow-up visits. Here, we report these two cases of confirmed Moyamoya disease complicated by Graves' disease with a review of the literature, and discuss the possible association between the two diseases. To our knowledge, this is the first report in South Korea on Moyamoya disease associated with Graves' disease in adolescents with a euthyroid.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제57권4호
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• pp.303-306
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• 2015

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) is a novel therapy developed to treat Parkinson's disease. We report a patient who underwent bilateral DBS of the PPN and subthalamic nucleus (STN). He suffered from freezing of gait (FOG), bradykinesia, rigidity and mild tremors. The patient underwent bilateral DBS of the PPN and STN. We compared the benefits of PPN-DBS and STN-DBS using motor and gait subscores. The PPN-DBS provided modest improvements in the gait disorder and freezing episodes, while the STN-DBS failed to improve the dominant problems. This special case suggests that PPN-DBS may have a unique role in ameliorating the locomotor symptoms and has the potential to provide improvement in FOG.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제26권9호
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• pp.1657-1660
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• 2016

Prion diseases are incurable neurodegenerative disorders. Our previous study demonstrated that polylysine was effective in prolonging the incubation period in a rodent model and in alleviating the scrapie prion protein (PrP^Sc) burden in the brain at the terminal stage of the disease. Here, we report that intraperitoneal administration of polylysine suppresses the accumulation of prions in the spleen during the early stages of the disease. This study supports the congruence of PrP^Sc inhibition by polylysine in both the spleen and brain.

• 약학회지
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• 제49권1호
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• pp.103-108
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• 2005

Tacrine analogues for degenerative brain disease treatments have been designed. A series of diazaanthrine derivatives as novel analogues of tacrine has been prepared through the alkyl substitution and the ring expansion. They were expected to retain anti-inflammatory activity by inhibition of prostaglandin production with reduction of side effect as the selective prostaglandin synthase inhibitor. Prostaglandin synthase expression is associated with the deposition of beta-amyloid protein in neuritic plaques in brain inflammation. Therefore selective prostaglandin synthase blockade is important for the prevention and treatment of alzheimer's disease. To evaluate inhibitory effect of prostaglandin synthase, synthetic tacrine derivatives were screened with accumulation of prostaglandin biosynthesis by lipopolysaccharide in aspirin-treated murine macrophage cell. Most of synthetic compounds have shown significant prostaglandin synthase activities in vitro screening with $84.3{\sim}33.6\%$ inhibition of the prostaglandin $E_2$ production at $10\;{\mu}g/ml$.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.1-6
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• 2018

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder associated with extracellular plaques, composed of amyloid-beta ($A{\beta}$), in the brain. Although the precise mechanism underlying the neurotoxicity of $A{\beta}$ has not been established, $A{\beta}$ accumulation is the primary event in a cascade of events that lead to neurofibrillary degeneration and dementia. In particular, the $A{\beta}$ burden, as assessed by neuroimaging, has proved to be an excellent predictive biomarker. Positron emission tomography, using ligands such as $^{11}C$-labeled Pittsburgh Compound B or $^{18}F$-labeled tracers, such as $^{18}F$-florbetaben, $^{18}F$-florbetapir, and $^{18}F$-flutemetamol, which bind to $A{\beta}$ deposits in the brain, has been a valuable technique for visualizing and quantifying the deposition of $A{\beta}$ throughout the brain in living subjects. $A{\beta}$ imaging has very high sensitivity for detecting AD pathology. In addition, it can predict the progression from mild cognitive impairment to AD, and contribute to the development of disease-specific therapies.

• 한국방사선학회논문지
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• 제7권6호
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• pp.433-439
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• 2013

본 연구에서는 집속형 초음파를 이용하는 뇌 질환 치료의 연구를 위한 인체 두부 유사 팬텀을 개발하였다. 문헌 연구를 통하여 피부 조직, 두개골, 뇌 조직의 음향학적 및 물리적 특성을 조사하였으며 근사한 값을 가지는 적합한 각 조직 대체 물질을 제시하였다. 피부 조직의 경우 글리세롤 기반 연부 조직 유사 팬텀의 성분비를 조정하여 실제 조직과 유사한 음향학적 특성을 가지도록 하였으며 고분자 합성수지의 음향학적 특성을 측정하여 두개골 유사 물질로써의 적합성을 평가하였다. 뇌 조직은 투명한 egg white 팬텀을 이용하여 집속형 초음파의 가열 특성을 확인할 수 있도록 하였다. 또한 뇌 질환 치료 프로토콜 개발을 위한 시험 조사가 가능하도록 대체 물질들을 결합한 두부 유사 팬텀을 제작하였고 제작된 팬텀의 유효성 및 활용성 평가를 위해 초음파 조사 조건에 따른 팬텀의 변성을 관찰하였다.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제19권6호
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• pp.1496-1503
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• 2005

This study aims to define the relationship between brain and heart through several literatures about oriental medicine and the conclusions are as follows. Heart in oriental medicine is called as Sinmyeongjishim(神明之心) which has a close connection with Mind, Consciousness, Emotion, and Physiological instinct of Drain in modern medicine. According to Oriental medicine, Brain stores Wonsin(元神) as Heart stores mind(神). Heart is where mind rests whereas Brain is where mind reveals. The external evidences that prove the relationship of Heart and Mind are as follows: First, with ears, eyes, mouth, and nose the subject of cognition is recognized as Sinmyeongjishim(神明之心). Second, Bulin(不仁), which means decreased movement power and sensibility of limbs, proves that Sinmyeongjishim(神明之心) is involved with movement power and sensibility of limbs. The physiological evidences that prove the relationship of Heart and Mind are as follows; First, Heart as the operation of Sinmyeongjishim(神明之心) manages language. Second, Heart is related with Tongue. Third, Heart is linked to Ears through the ear hole. Fourth, Heart is a store of Mind. Fifth, the five viscera control emotional and psychological activities. The pathological evidence of the relationship of Heart and Mind is that the symptoms of heart disease which are related to Sinmyeongjishim(神明之心) are also related to the functions of Brain. Though Brain has a close connection with Heart in oriental medicine, it is recognized that there are distinctive symptoms of disease of Brain and Hyeolyookjishim(血肉之心) respectively. The relationship of Heart and Brain has been researched in this study, even though there are not enough written materials about oriental medicine. But the fact that the majority of Heart operation is deeply connected with Brain activities cannot be denied. Therefore the research of Heart should be done as well as Brain in the clinical study of Brain.