• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제27권4호
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• pp.349-356
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• 2019

Behavioral analysis in mice provided important contributions in helping understand and treat numerous neurobehavioral and neuropsychiatric disorders. The behavioral performance of animals and humans is widely different among individuals but the neurobehavioral mechanism of the innate difference is seldom investigated. Many neurologic conditions share comorbid symptoms that may have common pathophysiology and therapeutic strategy. The forced swim test (FST) has been commonly used to evaluate the "antidepressant" properties of drugs yet the individual difference analysis of this test was left scantly investigated along with the possible connection among other behavioral domains. This study conducted an FST-screening in outbred CD-1 male mice and segregated them into three groups: high performers (HP) or the active swimmers, middle performers (MP), and low performers (LP) or floaters. After which, a series of behavioral experiments were performed to measure their behavioral responses in the open field, elevated plus maze, Y maze, three-chamber social assay, novel object recognition, delay discounting task, and cliff avoidance reaction. The behavioral tests battery revealed that the three groups displayed seemingly correlated differences in locomotor activity and novel object recognition but not in other behaviors. This study suggests that the HP group in FST has higher locomotor activity and novelty-seeking tendencies compared to the other groups. These results may have important implications in creating behavior database in animal models that could be used for predicting interconnections of various behavioral domains, which eventually helps to understand the neurobiological mechanism controlling the behaviors in individual subjects.

• 대한한방부인과학회지
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.30-47
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• 2013

목 적: 본 연구는 만성 스트레스로 인한 갱년기 우울증 모델에서 사물탕가향부자(SGH)의 항우울 효과를 검증하여 실험적 유의성을 확인하고자 시행되었다. 방 법: 난소적출 흰쥐에 4주간 만성 스트레스를 가하고 SGH(100 and 400 mg/kg/day)를 투여한 후 행동검사인 sucrose intake test(SIT), elevated plus maze(EPM), forced swimming test(FST) 및 Morris water maze test(MWMT) 등을 통한 우울행동 변화와 혈청 corticosterone(CORT), IL-$1{\beta}$ 및 IL-4 등의 변화를 측정하였고, 또한 뇌 내 hippocampus와 hypothalamus에서 5-HT의 변화를 측정하였다. 결 과: 1. SIT에서 SGH 400 mg/kg/day 투여군은 대조군에 비해서 자당 섭취가 유의하게 증가하였다(p<0.05). 2. EPM에서 SGH 400 mg/kg/day 투여군은 대조군에 비해서 open arms에 머무는 시간이 유의하게 증가하였고(p<0.01), open arms와 closed arms를 교차하는 횟수도 대조군에 비해서 유의하게 증가하였다(p<0.05). 3. FST에서 SGH 100 mg/kg/day, 400 mg/kg/day 투여군 모두 대조군에 비해서 immobility시간이 유의하게 줄어들었다(SGH 100 p<0.05, SGH 400 p<0.01). 4. MWMT에서 SGH 100 mg/kg/day, 400 mg/kg/day 투여군은 모두 대조군에 비해서 실험 4일째에서 acquisition trials 수행 시간이 유의하게 단축되었고(p<0.05), SGH 400 mg/kg/day 투여군은 대조군에 비해서 retention trials 수행 시간이 유의하게 증가하였다(p<0.05). 5. CORT와 IL-4 측정에서 대조군과 SGH 투여군 모두 유의한 변화가 없었고, IL-$1{\beta}$ 측정에서 대조군에서는 유의하게 증가하였지만 SGH 투여군에서는 대조군에 비해서 유의한 변화가 없었다. 6. Hippocampus에서의 5-HT 측정에서 SGH 400 mg/kg/day 투여군은 대조군에 비해서 유의하게 증가하였다(p<0.05). Hypothalamus에서의 5-HT수준은 SGH 투여군 모두 대조군에 비해서 유의하게 증가하였다(SGH 100 p<0.05, SGH 400 p<0.01). 결 론: 이상의 결과로 SGH는 만성 스트레스를 가한 난소적출 흰쥐에서 항우울 효과가 있음을 알 수 있었고, HPA axis, immune system 보다 5-HT system에 작용하는 것으로 사료된다.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제41권2호
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• pp.201-208
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• 2017

Background: Panax vietnamensis Ha et Grushv. or Vietnamese ginseng (VG) is a recently discovered ginseng species. Studies on its chemical constituents have shown that VG is remarkably rich in ginseng saponins, particularly ocotillol saponins. However, the psychopharmacological effects of VG have not been characterized. Thus, in the present study we screened the psychopharmacological activities of VG in mice. Methods: VG extract (VGE) was orally administered to mice at various dosages to evaluate its psychomotor (open-field and rota-rod tests), sedative-hypnotic (pentobarbital-induced sleeping test), anti-stress (cold swimming test), anxiolytic (elevated plus-maze test), and cognitive (Y-maze and passive-avoidance tests) effects. Results: VGE treatment increased the spontaneous locomotor activity, enhanced the endurance to stress, reduced the anxiety-like behavior, and ameliorated the scopolamine-induced memory impairments in mice. In addition, VGE treatment did not alter the motor balance and coordination of mice and did not potentiate pentobarbital-induced sleep, indicating that VGE has no sedative-hypnotic effects. The effects of VGE were comparable to those of the Korean Red Ginseng extract. Conclusion: VG, like other ginseng products, has significant and potentially useful psychopharmacological effects. This includes, but is not limited to, psychomotor stimulation, anxiolytic, antistress, and memory enhancing effects.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.79-83
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• 2009

Exposure to early stressful adverse life events such as maternal and social separation plays an essential role in the development of the nervous system. Adolescent Sprague-Dawley rats that were separated on postnatal day 14 from their dam and litters (maternal social separation, MSS) showed hyperactivity and anxiolytic behavior in the open field test, elevated plus-maze test, and forced-swim test. Biologically, the number of astrocytes was significantly increased in the prefrontal cortex of MSS adolescent rats. The hyperactive and anxiolytic phenotype and biological alteration produced by this MSS protocol may provide a useful animal model for investigating the neurobiology of psychiatric disorders of childhood-onset diseases, such as attention deficient hyperactive disorder.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.334-339
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• 2022

Peroxiredoxin 6 (PRDX6) is a bifunctional protein with both glutathione peroxidase and calcium-independent phospholipase activity. Recently, we reported that PRDX6 plays an important role in dopaminergic neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease. However, the relationship between PRDX6 function and emotional behavior remains elusive. In the present study, we examined depression- and anxiety-like behaviors in PRDX6-overexpressing transgenic (PRDX6-Tg) mice using the forced swim test, tail suspension test, open field paradigm, and elevated plus-maze. PRDX6-Tg mice exhibited depression-like behaviors and low anxiety. In particular, female PRDX6-Tg mice exhibited anxiolytic behavior in the open field test. Furthermore, the serotonin content in the cortex and 5-hydroxytryptophan-induced head twitch response were both reduced in PRDX6-Tg mice. Interestingly, levels of dopa decarboxylase expression in the cortex were decreased in male PRDX6-Tg mice but not in female mice. Our findings provide novel insights into the role of PRDX6 in 5-HT synthesis and suggest that PRDX6 overexpression can induce depression-like behaviors via downregulation of the serotonergic neuronal system.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.219-225
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• 2010

We tested whether ginsenosides $Rg_3$-standardized ginseng extract (RGE) has anti-stress effects in restraint-stressed animals. RGE increased time spent in the open arms and open arm entries in the elevated plus-maze test. In addition, RGE blocked the reduction of center zone distance and stereotypes behaviors in the open-field test. RGE also increased head dips in stressed mice, indicating anxiolytic-like effects. Stress decreased movement distance and duration, burrowing, and rearing frequency but increased face washing and grooming. RGE significantly reversed burrowing and rearing activity in stressed mice. In addition, we measured sleep architecture in restraint stressed rats using EEG recorder. Stress increased rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, but total sleep and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep were not changed. RGE did not affect sleep architecture in stressed rats. These behavioral experiments suggest that RGE has anti-stress effects in restraint-stressed animal models.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.246-251
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• 2016

This study investigated the effects of (-)-sesamin on memory deficits in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-lesioned mouse model of Parkinson's disease (PD). MPTP lesion (30 mg/kg/day, 5 days) in mice showed memory deficits including habit learning memory and spatial memory. However, treatment with (-)-sesamin (25 and 50 mg/kg) for 21 days ameliorated memory deficits in MPTP-lesioned mouse model of PD: (-)-sesamin at both doses improved decreases in the retention latency time of the passive avoidance test and the levels of dopamine, norepinephrine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, and homovanillic acid, improved the decreased transfer latency time of the elevated plus-maze test, reduced the increased expression of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, and increased the reduced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) and cyclic AMP-response element binding protein (CREB). These results suggest that (-)-sesamin has protective effects on both habit learning memory and spatial memory deficits via the dopaminergic neurons and NMDA receptor-ERK1/2-CREB system in MPTP-lesioned mouse model of PD, respectively. Therefore, (-)-sesamin may serve as an adjuvant phytonutrient for memory deficits in PD patients.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제16권6호
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• pp.379-386
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether berberine (BER) administration could attenuate depression- and anxiety-like behaviors and increase corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression following chronic morphine withdrawal in rats. Male rats were exposed to chronic, intermittent, escalating morphine (10~50 mg/kg) for 10 days. After the last morphine injection, depression- and anxiety-like beahvior associated with morphine discontinuation persisted for at least three days during withdrawal without any change in ambulatory activity. Daily BER administration significantly decreased immobility in the forced swimming test and increased open-arm exploration in the elevated plus maze test. BER administration also significantly blocked the increase in hypothalamic CRF expression and TH expression in the locus coeruleus (LC) and the decrease in hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA expression. Taken together, these findings demonstrated that BER administration significantly reduced morphine withdrawal-associated behaviors following discontinuation of repeated morphine administration in rats, possibly through modulation of hypothalamic CRF and the central noradrenergic system. BER may be a useful agent for treating or alleviating complex withdrawal symptoms and preventing morphine use relapses.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.191-200
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• 2014

We investigated the anxiolytic-like activity of ${\alpha}$-asarone (AAS) from Acorus gramineus in an experimental rat model of anxiety induced by repeated administration of the exogenous stress hormone corticosterone (CORT). The putative anxiolytic effect of AAS was studied in behavioral tests of anxiety, such as the elevated plus maze (EPM) test and the hole-board test (HBT) in rats. For 21 consecutive days, male rats received 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg AAS (i.p.) 30 min prior to a daily injection of CORT. Dysregulation of the HPA axis in response to the repeated CORT injections was confirmed by measuring serum levels of CORT and the expression of corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) in the hypothalamus. Daily AAS (200 mg/kg) administration increased open-arm exploration significantly in the EPM test, and it increased the duration of head dipping activity in the HBT. It also blocked the increase in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression in the locus coeruleus (LC) and decreased mRNA expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor, TrkB, in the hippocampus. These results indicated that the administration of AAS prior to high-dose exogenous CORT significantly improved anxiety-like behaviors, which are associated with modification of the central noradrenergic system and with BDNF function in rats. The current finding may improve understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms responsible for changes in emotions induced by repeated administration of high doses of CORT or by elevated levels of hormones associated with chronic stress. Thus, AAS did exhibit an anxiolytic-like effects in animal models of anxiety.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.328-332
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• 2010

Acupuncture has been used for the treatment and prevention of stress-related disorders. In the present study, the effect of electroacupuncture on the behavioral and biochemical responses to restraint stress was evaluated in rats. Sprague-Dawley male rats underwent to immobilization stress for 21 days (6 hours/day). Electroacupuncture (2 Hz, 2 mA, and 10 minutes) was applied either to the acupuncture point HT7 (Shenmen) or the nonacupuncture point in the tail for the last 7 days. Rats were randomly divided into four groups: the normal group (n=10, without the restraint stress), the stress group (n=10, with restraint stress), the HT7 group (n=10, with restraint stress and electroacupuncture to HT7), and the NA group (n=10, with restraint stress and electroacupuncture to the nonacupuncture point). The anxiety-related behavior was tested using the elevated plus maze and the Vogel test on day 22. The expression of tyrosine hydroxylase in the locus coeruleus was measured by immunohistochemistry. R maze and the Vogecreased the response of the anxiety-related behavior. The number of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive cells were also increased. The HT7 group showed a significant decrease of anxiety-related behavioral response, compared to the stress group. The tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive expression was also decreased in the HT7 group. These findings suggestthat electroacupuncture to HT7 might play a role in reducing the stress-related responses, which may be helpful for the treatment of stress-related disorders.