• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.7
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• pp.450-456
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• 2017

Mammalian physiology and behavior are regulated by an internal time-keeping system, referred to as circadian rhythm. The circadian timing system has a hierarchical organization composed of the master clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and local clocks in extra-SCN brain regions and peripheral organs. The circadian clock molecular mechanism involves a network of transcription-translation feedback loops. In addition to the clinical association between circadian rhythm disruption and mood disorders, recent studies have suggested a molecular link between mood regulation and circadian rhythm. Specifically, genetic deletion of the circadian nuclear receptor Rev-$erb{\alpha}$ induces mania-like behavior caused by increased midbrain dopaminergic (DAergic) tone at dusk. The association between circadian rhythm and emotion-related behaviors can be applied to pathological conditions, including neurodegenerative diseases. In Parkinson's disease (PD), DAergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta progressively degenerate leading to motor dysfunction. Patients with PD also exhibit non-motor symptoms, including sleep disorder and neuropsychiatric disorders. Thus, it is important to understand the mechanisms that link the molecular circadian clock and brain machinery in the regulation of emotional behaviors and related midbrain DAergic neuronal circuits in healthy and pathological states. This review summarizes the current literature regarding the association between circadian rhythm and mood regulation from a chronobiological perspective, and may provide insight into therapeutic approaches to target psychiatric symptoms in neurodegenerative diseases involving circadian rhythm dysfunction.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.38-42
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• 2006

The case of a 66- year-old woman with coexisting idiopathic basal ganglia calcification(IBGC) and dementia was presented. The calcification was detected in bilateral basal ganglia, dentate nucleus, and thalamus by brain imaging. Serum calcium and phosphorus levels were normal. The underlying diseases of calcification of basal ganglia such as parathyroid dysfunction and other infectious, toxic, or metabolic illness were excluded. The patient had memory impairment and frontal executive dysfunction without aphasia, agnosia, apraxia, and visuospatial impairment in neuropsychological test. It suggested that the cognitive impairment might be due to the dysfunction of frontal-subcortical circuit.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.80-88
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• 2016

Vascular dementia is a very frequent form of dementia. Debates over classification and diagnostic criteria, and controversy over identifiable treatment targets will continue until distinct pathophysiological mechanism of vascular dementia is found. Clinical diagnostic criteria are sufficiently strong to be useful for clinical trials, but need further refinement. Cognitive changes in vascular dementia are more variable than other disorders, and are dependent on the vascular pathology. Accurate diagnosis of vascular dementia is known to need the presence of reliable cerebrovascular disease on brain imaging. Although it seems obvious that cerebrovascular disease causes pathological damage and impaired cognition, it is very difficult to find the accurate contribution of cerebrovascular pathology to cognitive decline. Most studies have shown a small but significant benefit of cholinesterase inhibitors on cognition, the significance of this effect has been slight and benefits on global functioning, activities of daily living, and behaviour have not been consistently reported. Management of vascular dementia should focus on identifying and managing vascular risk factors.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.385-392
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• 2013

This case report presents a 34-year-old female patient. Her chief complaints are akinetic mutism and cognitive dysfunctions. We have diagnosed her with leukoencephalopathy. She was treated with Korean traditional herbal medicines (Joojackwhan) for 33 days continuously. The effects of treatment were measured by the Korean Mini - Mental State Examination and Modified Bathel Index. After treatment, her chief complaints have been improved. Furthermore, the K-MMSE, MBI scores increased. From this case, we deduced that the Korean traditional herbal medicines (Joojackwhan) could be effective for cognitive dysfunctions and akinetic mutism caused by leukoencephalopathy.

• CELLMED
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• v.13 no.14
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• pp.14.1-14.9
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• 2023

Administration of Scopolamine can be considered a psychopharmacological model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We made an animal model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) by administering Scopolamine to Blab/c mice. In this study, we investigated the effects of Resplex Alpha on memory impairment and cognitive function in mice in a mouse animal model of Scopolamine-induced memory impairment. Through Y-mazed and passive avoidance behavioral assays, we observed that Resplex Alpha recovered Scopolamine-induced short-term memory and cognitive functions. The results of our study imply that Resplex Alpha may be beneficial in the prevention of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.27-31
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• 2011

The ameliorating effect of the saponin rich fraction (SRF) prepared from the roots extract of Platycodon grandiflorum (Campanulaceae) on the scopolamine-induced cognitive dysfunction in mice were investigated by way of Moris water maze task. The mice with repeated oral administration of the SRF for four weeks showed markedly reduced the swimming time and swimming distance to reach the platform as well as the increase of number of crossing the platform on the Moris water maze task performed after scopolamine intoxication. The results suggest that SRF obtained from the roots extract of P. grandiflorum exert a cognitive enhancing effect on scopolamine-induced memory impairment in mice.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.211-218
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• 2011

Objectives : Intellectual impairment in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is often associated with relatively severe cognitive dysfunction. This study was designed to investigate cognitive function using auditory and visual event-related potential P300 in children with ADHD with relatively higher and lower IQ. Methods : A total of 20 children aged 6-12 years with DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of ADHD-combined type were recruited. For 10 children with lower IQ (${\leq}$100) and 10 children with higher IQ (>100), auditory and visual P300 using oddball paradigm (target 0.2, standard 0.8, in probability) were employed. Results : No significant differences were found in P300 amplitude and latency between ADHD children with higher and lower IQ in both modalities. However, auditory P300 amplitude in the right parietal area (P8 electrode) was negatively correlated with verbal IQ in ADHD subjects (R=-.50, p<.05). Visual P300 amplitude in the left parietal area (P3 electrode) was positively correlated with performance IQ in ADHD subjects (R=.57, p<.01). Conclusion : This study suggests intellectual impairment, as evidenced by lower IQ, could not be associated with cognitive dysfunction reflected in event-related potential P300 in ADHD children. However, cognitive function reflected in intellectual subcomponents and P300 might be processed in a stimulus modality-specific and asymmetric pattern.

• Psychiatry investigation
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.1162-1167
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• 2018

Objective Motor, perceptual, and cognitive functions are known to affect driving competence. Subcortical ischemic changes on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can reflect reduction in cognitive and motor performance. However, few studies have reported the relationship between subcortical ischemic changes and driving competence of the elderly. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the association between subcortical ischemic changes on MRI and driving abilities of the elderly. Methods Participants (n=540) were drawn from a nationwide, multicenter, hospital-based, longitudinal cohort. Each participant underwent MRI scan and interview for driving capacity categorized into 'now driving' and 'driving cessation (driven before, not driving now)'. Participants were divided into three groups (mild, n=389; moderate, n=116; and severe, n=35) depending on the degree of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) on MRI at baseline. Driving status was evaluated at follow-up. Statistical analyses were conducted using ${\chi}^2$ test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), structured equation model (SEM), and generalized estimating equation (GEE). Results In SEM, greater baseline degree of WMH was directly associated with driving cessation regardless of cognitive or motor dysfunction (${\beta}=-0.110$, p<0.001). In GEE models after controlling for age, sex, education, cognitive, and motor dysfunction, more severe change in the degree of WMH was associated with faster change from 'now driving' state to 'driving cessation' state over time in the elderly (${\beta}=-0.508$, p<0.001). Conclusion In both cross-sectional and longitudinal results, the degree of subcortical ischemic change on MRI might predict driving cessation in the elderly.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.133-142
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• 1999

Recently, with increasing the number of patients with head injury and cerebrovascular accident, there has been an increasing need for the useful assessment tools of brain dysfunction and it's localization. With the advances in the neuroscience since the mid-1970s, particularly in the areas of neuroanatomical tracing, neuroimaging, and improved behavioraltest design, it has been possible to develop a more precise understanding and localization of brain dysfunction. However, these equipments are not readily available in the private clinics and too expensive to use as a screening tool to all suspected patients with brain dysfunction. Although several screening tests such as Mini-Mental States Examination(MMSE) or Brief Cognitive Rating Scale(BCRS) are simple in use and useful for the brief assessment of brain dysfunction, these are also limited in using for localization of brain dysfunction because of their simplicity. With increasing need of the assessment tool which is able to localize the dysfunction more precisely in the clinical practice, we planned to develop the new assessment tool, the Bedside Neurocognitive Function Localization Test(BNLT) which is suitable for this purpose. The BNLT was designed to be utilized for localizing brain dysfunction effectively and readily in the clinical practice. We introduced the whole process of designing the BNLT in this manuscript.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.306-313
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• 2023

Background: As social problems due to the acceleration of the aging era and the increase in the elderly population are becoming serious, virtual reality (VR)-based healthcare is emerging as an approach for preventing and managing health issues. Objects: This study used validity and reliability analyses to examine the clinical efficacy that is, the clinical value and usability of a novel VR cognitive evaluation system index that we developed. Methods: We developed a VR cognitive evaluation system based on motion recognition analysis evaluation for individuals aged 65 to 85. After conducting the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Exam (K-MMSE) cognitive evaluation, the evaluation score was verified through correlation analysis in the VR cognitive evaluation system. To verify the construct validity of the two groups, the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) grades were categorized into a normal cognitive group (GDS grade 1) and a cognitive impairment group (GDS grades 2 and 3). The data were measured twice to determine the reliability between the two measurements and assess the stability and clinical value of the evaluation system. Results: Our evaluation system had a high correlation of 0.85 with the widely used K-MMSE cognitive evaluation. The system had strong criterion-related validity at the 95% confidence interval. Compared to the average score of GDS grade 1 in the VR cognitive evaluation system, the average score of GDS grades 2 and 3 in the VR cognitive evaluation system was statistically significantly lower while also having strong construct validity at the 95% confidence interval. To measure the reliability of the VR cognitive evaluation system, tests-retests were conducted using the intraclass correlation coefficient (3,1), which equaled 0.923 and was statistically significant. Conclusion: The VR cognitive evaluation system we developed is a valid and reliable clinical tool to distinguish between normal cognitive status and mild cognitive impairment.