• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.83-88
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• 2019

Background and Objectives: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a disorder that usually occurs in the elderly, leading to dementia in some progressive cases. The purpose of this study is to examine the utility of central auditory processing tests as early diagnostic tools for identifying the elderly with MCI. Subjects and Methods: This study was conducted on 20 elderly patients with MCI and 20 healthy matched peers. The speech perception ability in a quiet environment and in the presence of background noise and also temporal resolution were assessed by using Speech Perception in Noise (SPIN) and Gap in Noise (GIN) tests, respectively. Results: The results indicated that the ability to understand speech in a quiet environment did not differ significantly between the two groups. However, SPIN at the three signal-to-noise ratios and the temporal resolution scores were significantly different between the two groups (p<0.001). Conclusions: Individuals with MCI appear to have poorer speech comprehension in noise and a lower temporal resolution than those of the same age, but without cognitive defects. Considering the utility of these tests in identifying cognitive problems, we propose that since the GIN test seems to be less influenced by intervening factors, this test can therefore, be a useful tool for the early screening of elderly people with cognitive problems.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.83-88
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• 2019

Background and Objectives: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a disorder that usually occurs in the elderly, leading to dementia in some progressive cases. The purpose of this study is to examine the utility of central auditory processing tests as early diagnostic tools for identifying the elderly with MCI. Subjects and Methods: This study was conducted on 20 elderly patients with MCI and 20 healthy matched peers. The speech perception ability in a quiet environment and in the presence of background noise and also temporal resolution were assessed by using Speech Perception in Noise (SPIN) and Gap in Noise (GIN) tests, respectively. Results: The results indicated that the ability to understand speech in a quiet environment did not differ significantly between the two groups. However, SPIN at the three signal-to-noise ratios and the temporal resolution scores were significantly different between the two groups (p<0.001). Conclusions: Individuals with MCI appear to have poorer speech comprehension in noise and a lower temporal resolution than those of the same age, but without cognitive defects. Considering the utility of these tests in identifying cognitive problems, we propose that since the GIN test seems to be less influenced by intervening factors, this test can therefore, be a useful tool for the early screening of elderly people with cognitive problems.

• International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.47-54
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• 2023

This article reviews recent advances and perspectives in neuroscience related to consciousness, cognition, and neural networks in the brain. The neural mechanisms underlying cognitive processes, such as perception, attention, memory, and decision-making, are explored. The article also examines how these processes give rise to our experience of consciousness. The implications of these findings for our understanding of the brain and its functions are presented, as well as potential applications of this knowledge in fields such as medicine, psychology, and artificial intelligence. Additionally, the article explores the concept of a quantum viewpoint concerning consciousness, cognition, and creativity and how incorporating DNA as a key element could reconcile classical and quantum perspectives on human behaviour, consciousness, and cognition, as explained by genomic psychological theory. Furthermore, the article explains how the human brain processes external stimuli through the sensory nervous system and how it can be simulated using an artificial neural network (ANN) consisting of one input layer, multiple hidden layers, and an output layer. The law of learning is also discussed, explaining how ANNs work and how the modification of weight values affects the output and input values. The article concludes with a discussion of future research directions in this field, highlighting the potential for further discoveries and advancements in our understanding of the brain and its functions.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2012

The mechanism of psychotherapy is explained by the recent developments in neuroscience and neuroimaging. The purpose of this study is to understand the nature of psychotherapy and to discuss the future of psychotherapy improvement with the help of advances of the neurobiological findings in psychotherapy. For this study, we investigated a wide range of materials. We searched for various researches on psychotherapy, brain, and neurobiology. In addition to the conventional psychodynamic psychotherapy, we investigated research findings on cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). Moreover, based on the actual experiences of treating patients, we speculated the neurobiological mechanisms of the process and results of psychotherapy. With the development of neuroscience, we are now able to understand the personal consciousness, unconsciousness and developmental process. Also subdividing the disease is made possible. Personalized treatment has become available, and we are able to predict the prognosis of patients. Our memories are composed by implicit memory and explicit memory. By psychotherapy, we can consciously remember explicit memory, and it becomes easier to explore implicit memory through free association. Through psychotherapy, we will also be able to learn the effect of acquired environment and experience. Psychotherapy is able to correct human behaviors by modifying the memories. Through the regulation of emotions, it becomes possible to modify the memories and correct the behaviors. In this process, doctor-patient relationship is the main factor which cause positive treatment effects. Furthermore imagination therapy or unconscious, non-verbal stimuli could bring about positive treatment effects. Now psychotherapy could be explained and studied by neuroscientific researches. In this sense, we could provide the direction of future advances in neuroscience by the neurobiological understanding of psychotherapy.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.11
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• pp.767-776
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• 2014

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is clinically characterized with progressive memory loss and cognitive decline. Synaptic dysfunction is an early pathological feature that occurs prior to neurodegeneration and memory dysfunction. Mounting evidence suggests that aggregation of amyloid-${\alpha}$ ($A{\alpha}$) and hyperphosphorylated tau leads to synaptic deficits and neurodegeneration, thereby to memory loss. Among the established genetic risk factors for AD, the ${\varepsilon}4$ allele of apolipoprotein E (APOE) is the strongest genetic risk factor. We and others previously demonstrated that apoE regulates $A{\alpha}$ aggregation and clearance in an isoform-dependent manner. While the effect of apoE on $A{\alpha}$ may explain how apoE isoforms differentially affect AD pathogenesis, there are also other underexplored pathogenic mechanisms. They include differential effects of apoE on cerebral energy metabolism, neuroinflammation, neurovascular function, neurogenesis, and synaptic plasticity. ApoE is a major carrier of cholesterols that are required for neuronal activity and injury repair in the brain. Although there are a few conflicting findings and the underlying mechanism is still unclear, several lines of studies demonstrated that apoE4 leads to synaptic deficits and impairment in long-term potentiation, memory and cognition. In this review, we summarize current understanding of apoE function in the brain, with a particular emphasis on its role in synaptic plasticity and the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms, involving low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1), syndecan, and LRP8/ApoER2.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.227-239
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• 2023

Major depressive disorder is a leading cause of disability in more than 280 million people worldwide. Monoamine-based antidepressants are currently used to treat depression, but delays in treatment effects and lack of responses are major reasons for the need to develop faster and more efficient antidepressants. Studies show that ketamine (KET), a PCP analog, produces antidepressant effects within a few hours of administration that lasts up to a week. However, the use of KET has raised concerns about side effects, as well as the risk of abuse. 4 -F-PCP analog is a novel PCP analog that is also an NMDA receptor antagonist, structurally similar to KET, and might potentially elicit similar antidepressant effects, however, there has been no study on this subject yet. Herein, we investigate whether 4-F-PCP displays antidepressant effects and explored their potential therapeutic mechanisms. 4-F-PCP at 3 and 10 mg/kg doses showed antidepressant-like effects and repeated treatments maintained its effects. Furthermore, treatment with 4-F-PCP rescued the decreased expression of proteins most likely involved in depression and synaptic plasticity. Changes in the excitatory amino acid transporters (EAAT2, EAAT3, EAAT4) were also seen following drug treatment. Lastly, we assessed the possible side effects of 4-F-PCP after long-term treatment (up to 21 days). Results show that 4-F-PCP at 3 mg/kg dose did not alter the cognitive function of mice. Overall, current findings provide significant implications for future research not only with PCP analogs but also on the next generation of different types of antidepressants.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Cognitive Science Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.244-253
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• 2005

사람에게 행동의 개인차가 있듯이 rat이나 mouse에 있어서도 행동의 차이를 발견할 수 있다. Rat의 행동성향에 따른 (1)학습 및 기억 능력의 차이, (2)기억과 해마의 관계, (3)치매유발단백질의 하나로 알려진 아밀로이드 베타($A{\beta}$ )및 수종의 항 치매 약물효과를 알아보는 것이 본 실험의 목적이다. Rat의 행동관찰을 통해 두 가지 행동패턴을 관찰할 수 있었는데, 이러한 rat의 행동 특성은 심리학자 Jung이 심리유형으로 설명하고 있는 extraversion, introversion의 행동성향과 유사할 것이라는 가정 하에 실험을 계획, 실시하였다. Rat에 water maze test를 실시하여 공간 기억의 단기, 장기 기억을 분석하였는데 그 결과 두 가지 행동 성향을 가진 rat은 서로 다른 학습 및 기억 능력의 특성을 보였다. 즉, extraversion은 단기 기억의 향상을 보인 반면에, introversion은 장기 기억의 향상을 보였다. Rat을 대상으로 water maze test 외에 Y-maze, passive avoidance test를 실시하여 공간 기억(spatial memory), 작동 기억(working memory), passive avoidance memory, 그리고 단기, 장기 기억의 관계를 종합적으로 분석해 보았다. 그 결과 두 가지 행동성향에 따라 서로 영향을 미치는 기억의 종류 및 관계에 차이가 있음을 발견할 수 있었다. 또한 두 가지 행동성향을 가진 rat에 약물을 투여했을 때, 서로 다른 약물 효과를 보였으며, $A{\beta}$ 를 주입했을 때, 기억(memory) 및 해마(hippocampus) 세포 사멸(cell death)에 서로 상반된 결과를 보여주었다. 이러한 연구 결과는 개체의 행동성향에 따라 학습 및 기억의 효과가 다를 수 있음을 보여주는 결과라 할 수 있고, 개인의 적성과 소질의 인식 및 개발의 중요성에 시사하는 바가 크다. 또한 개개인의 행동과 학습 및 기억 능력의 차이를 두뇌과학적으로 이해하여, 두뇌의 장점은 살리고 단점을 보완할 수 있는 이론적 토대를 세우는데 이러한 동물실험이 그 기초를 제공해 줄 수 있을 것이다. 또한 행동성향 및 기억의 종류에 따른 약물효과의 차이는 기억과 관련된 질병인 알츠하이머 환자에 있어 개개인에게 맞는 적절한 특징적인 치료약물이 존재할 것이라는 가능성을 제공해줄 뿐만 아니라 학습과 기억력 증진 효과를 기대해 볼 수 있을 것이라고 생각된다.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.55-64
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• 2017

Progressive memory impairment such as that associated with depression, stroke, and Alzheimer's disease (AD) can interfere with daily life. In particular, AD, which is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, prominently features a memory and learning impairment that is related to changes in acetylcholine and abnormal ${\beta}$-amyloid ($A{\beta}$) deposition in the brain. In the present study, we investigated the effects of dehydroevodiamine HCl (DHED) on cognitive improvement and the related mechanism in memory-impaired rat models, namely, a scopolamine-induced amnesia model and a $A{\beta}_{1-42}$-infused model. The cognitive effects of DHED were measured using a water maze test and a passive avoidance test in the memory-impaired rat models. The results demonstrate that DHED (10 mg/kg, p.o.) and Donepezil (1 mg/kg, p.o.) ameliorated the spatial memory impairment in the scopolamine-induced amnestic rats. Moreover, DHED significantly improved learning and memory in the $A{\beta}_{1-42}$-infused rat model. Furthermore, the mechanism of these behavioral effects of DHED was investigated using a cell viability assay, reactive oxygen species (ROS) measurement, and intracellular calcium measurement in primary cortical neurons. DHED reduced neurotoxicity and the production of $A{\beta}$-induced ROS in primary cortical neurons. In addition, similar to the effect of MK801, DHED decreased intracellular calcium levels in primary cortical neurons. Our results suggest that DHED has strong protective effects against cognitive impairments through its antioxidant activity and inhibition of neurotoxicity and intracellular calcium. Thus, DHED may be an important therapeutic agent for memory-impaired symptoms.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.166-170
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• 2019

Objectives: Attentional and memory functions are important aspects of neural plasticity that, theoretically, should be amenable to pharmacopuncture treatments. A previous study from our laboratory suggested that quantitative electroencephalographic (qEEG) measurements of theta/beta ratio (TBR), an index of attentional control, may be indicative of academic performance in a first-semester medical school course. The present study expands our prior report by extracting and analyzing data on frontal theta and beta asymmetries. We test the hypothesis that the amount of frontal theta and beta asymmetries (fTA, fBA), are correlated with TBR and academic performance, thereby providing novel targets for pharmacopuncture treatments to improve cognitive performance. Methods: Ten healthy male volunteers were subjected to 5-10 min of qEEG measurements under eyes-closed conditions. The qEEG measurements were performed 3 days before each of first two block examinations in anatomy-physiology, separated by five weeks. Amplitudes of the theta and beta waveforms, expressed in ${\mu}V$, were used to compute TBR, fTA and fBA. Significance of changes in theta and beta EEG wave amplitude was assessed by ANOVA with post-hoc t-testing. Correlations between TBR, fTA, fBA and the raw examination scores were evaluated by Pearson's product-moment coefficients and linear regression analysis. Results: fTA and fBA were found to be negatively correlated with TBR (P<0.03, P<0.05, respectively) and were positively correlated with the second examination score (P<0.03, P=0.1, respectively). Conclusion: Smaller fTA and fBA were associated with lower academic performance in the second of two first-semester medical school anatomy-physiology block examination. Future studies should determine whether these qEEG metrics are useful for monitoring changes associated with the brain's cognitive adaptations to academic challenges, for predicting academic performance and for targeting phamacopuncture treatments to improve cognitive performance.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.462-470
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• 2015

This study examined for which socio-economic difference effects on brain function and Problem behavior syndrome in children. About a children with no disorders, diseases or cognitive dysfunction-30 were from LIC children and another 30, from MC ones, the study was conducted by measuring and analyzing the data using brain function analysis and K-CBCL from January to April, 2013. The results of the study are as follows. First, it was found that the ratio of LIC's theta(${\Theta}$) and SMR waves and that of delta(${\delta}$), high beta(${\beta}h$), alpha(${\alpha}$) and low beta(${\beta}l$) waves showed significantly higher values than MC children. Second, concerning the symptoms of child behavioral problems, LIC showed significantly higher values than MC children in symptoms of the body, depression and anxiety, social immaturity, thinking problems, attention problems, aggression, internalization, externalization, overall behavioral problems, and emotional instability. MC children showed significantly higher values than LIC chidren in symptoms of social, academic-performance, total social skills. In conclusion, the significant difference of the brain functions and the symptoms of child behavioral problems between LIC and MC children showed that the socio-ecnomic difference has an influence on the same functions and symptoms above.