• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.118-136
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• 2003

Objective: This study is to examine the neuropsychological and developmental characteristics of the Computerized Neurocognitive Function Test among normal children in elementary school. Methods: K-ABC, K-PIC, and Computerized Neurocognitive Function Test were performed to the 120 body of normal children(10 of each male and female) from June, 2002 to January, 2003. Those children had over the average of intelligence and passed the rule out criteria. One-way ANOVA and Bonferroni were used for statistical analysis. Results: In sampling of normal children in elementary school, the control of intelligence level and strict rule out criteria were applied. As a result, although 21.1% were excluded from of total participants, the children that passed the rule out criteria had over the average of intelligence and not differ in the intelligence level among the graders. Comparing Computerized Neurocognitive Function Test results among the graders, almost of variables had significant difference among the graders and especially between the 1st to 2nd and the 5th to 6th graders. In the attention tests, as rising the graders, the performance of tests were improved. In the short-term memory tests, the difference between forward and backward tests were same as the previous research result. The verbal auditory learning test composed of recall task and visual figure memory test composed of recognition task were same as the previous research result using the individual power or achievement test and also as rising the graders, the performance of those tests were improved. The higher cognitive function tests had the same results with other tests. Conclusion: The Computerized Neurocognitive Function Test devised for adult can be used of assessing child neuropsychological characteristics. For this objective, more strict sampling criteria, control of the intelligence and psychopathology were needed.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.135-152
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• 2005

Prefrontal cortex is a psychological and metaphysical cortex, which deals with feeling, memory, planning, attention, personality, etc. And it also integrates above-mentioned events with motor control and locomotor activities. Prefrontal cortex works as a highest CNS center, since the above mentioned functions are very important for one's successful life, and further more they are upgraded every moments through memory and learning. Many of these highest functions are supposed to be generated via forebrain basal nuclei (caudate nucleus, fundus striati nucleus, accumbens septi nucleus, septal nucleus, etc.). In this experiment, prefrontal efferent terminals within basal forebrain nuclei were ultrastructurally studied. Spraque Dawley rats, weighing $250{\sim}300g$ each, were anesthetized and their heads were fixed on the stereotaxic apparatus (experimental model, David Kopf Co.). Rats were incised their scalp, perforated a 3mm-wide hole on the right side of skull at the 11mm anterior point from the frontal O point (Ref. 13, Fig. 1), suctioned out the prefrontal cortex including cortex of the frontal pole, with suction instrument. Two days following the operations, small tissue blocks of basal forebrain nuclei were punched out, fixed in 1% glutaraldehyde-1% paraformaldehyde solution followed by 2% osmium tetroxide solutions. Ultrathin sections were stained with 1% borax-toluidin blue solution, and the stained sections were obserbed with an electron microscope. Degenerating axon terminals were found within all the basal forbrain nuclei. Numbers of degenerated terminals were largest in the caudate nucleus, next in order, in the fundus striati nucleus, in the accumbens septi nucleus, and the least in the septal nucleus. Only axospinous terminals were degenerated within the caudate nucleus and the fundus striati nucleus, and they showed the characters of striatal motor control system. Axodendritic and axospinous terminals were degenerated within the accumbens septi nucleus and the lateral septal nucleus, and they showed the characters of visceral limbic system. Prefrontal role in integrating the limbic system with the striatal system, en route basal forebrain nuclei, was discussed.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.176-181
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• 2004

This study was designed to investigate the effects of buthanol (BuOH) fraction of pine (Pinus densiflora Sieb et Zucc) needle on cholesterol and lipofuscin (LF) accumulations, acetylcholine (ACh) and its related enzyme activities such as choline acetyltransferase (CAhT) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and monoamone oxidase-B (MAO-B) activity, which destroyed the catecholamine-related neurotransmitters in brain membranes of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Male SD rats were fed basic diets (control group) or experimental diets (BuOH-25, BuOH-50 and BuOH-100) for 45 days. Cholesterol accumulations in mitochondria and microsomes were significantly inhibited (about 14 - 17％ and 23 - 34％, respectvely) in BuOH-50 and BuOH-100 groups, whereas LF levels were significantly inhibited (about 10 - 14％) in BuOH-50 and BuOH-100 groups compared with control group. ACh levels and ChAT activities were significantly increased (about 11 - 17％ and 11 - 23％, respectively) in membranes of BuOH-50 and BuOH-100 groups compared with control group. AChE activities were significantly increased (about 14 - 17％) in membranes of BuOH-50 and BuOH-100 groups. There was no significant difference in MAO-B activities between control and experimental diet groups. The results suggest that butanol fraction of pine needle may play an effective role in an antiaging effect and improving a learning and memory impairments.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.465-472
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• 2021

Background: Ginseng can help regulate brain excitability, promote learning and memory, and resist cerebral ischemia in the central nervous system. Ginsenosides are the major effective compounds of Ginseng, but their protein targets in the brain have not been determined. Methods: We screened proteins that interact with the main components of ginseng (ginsenosides) by affinity chromatography and identified the 14-3-3 ζ protein as a potential target of ginsenosides in brain tissues. Results: Biolayer interferometry (BLI) analysis showed that 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (PPD), a ginseng saponin metabolite, exhibited the highest direct interaction to the 14-3-3 ζ protein. Subsequently, BLI kinetics analysis and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) assay showed that PPD specifically bound to the 14-3-3 ζ protein. The cocrystal structure of the 14-3-3 ζ protein-PPD complex showed that the main interactions occurred between the residues R56, R127, and Y128 of the 14-3-3 ζ protein and a portion of PPD. Moreover, mutating any of the above residues resulted in a significant decrease of affinity between PPD and the 14-3-3 ζ protein. Conclusion: Our results indicate the 14-3-3 ζ protein is the target of PPD, a ginsenoside metabolite. Crystallographic and mutagenesis studies suggest a direct interaction between PPD and the 14-3-3 ζ protein. This finding can help in the development of small-molecular compounds that bind to the 14-3-3 ζ protein on the basis of the structure of dammarane-type triterpenoid.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.16-26
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• 2007

Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is a serine protease catalyzing the proteolytic conversion of plasminogen into plasmin, which is involved in thrombolysis. During last two decades, the role of tPA in brain physiology and pathology has been extensively investigated. tPA is expressed in brain regions such as cortex, hippocampus, amygdala and cerebellum, and major neural cell types such as neuron, astrocyte, microglia and endothelial cells express tPA in basal status. After strong neural stimulation such as seizure, tPA behaves as an immediate early gene increasing the expression level within an hour. Neural activity and/or postsynaptic stimulation increased the release of tPA from axonal terminal and presumably from dendritic compartment. Neuronal tPA regulates plastic changes in neuronal function and structure mediating key neurologic processes such as visual cortex plasticity, seizure spreading, cerebellar motor learning, long term potentiation and addictive or withdrawal behavior after morphine discontinuance. In addition to these physiological roles, tPA mediates excitotoxicity leading to the neurodegeneration in several pathological conditions including ischemic stroke. Increasing amount of evidence also suggest the role of tPA in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis even though beneficial effects was also reported in case of Alzheimer's disease based on the observation of tPA-induced degradation of $A{\beta}$ aggregates. Target proteins of tPA action include extracellular matrix protein laminin, proteoglycans and NMDA receptor. In addition, several receptors (or binding partners) for tPA has been reported such as low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) and annexin II, even though intracellular signaling mechanism underlying tPA action is not clear yet. Interestingly, the action of tPA comprises both proteolytic and non-proteolytic mechanism. In case of microglial activation, tPA showed non-proteolytic cytokine-like function. The search for exact target proteins and receptor molecules for tPA along with the identification of the mechanism regulating tPA expression and release in the nervous system will enable us to better understand several key neurological processes like teaming and memory as well as to obtain therapeutic tools against neurodegenerative diseases.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.637-642
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• 2004

Effects of defatted sesame and perilla methanol extracts on cognitive function and antioxidant activity of learning- and memory-impaired animal model SAMP8 mice. Animals were divided into 4 groups and fed with diets containing 0.3%(w/w) defatted sesame (S) or defatted perilla methanol extracts (P) for 12 weeks. Step through latency of SAMP8 control group was significantly higher than that of SAM R1 normal group, whereas significantly increased in S and P groups compared with SAMP8 control on passive avoidance test (p<0.001). Acetylcholinesterase activity of brain in SAMP8 increased compared with SAMR1 but no difference between SAMP8 control group and sample-treated group. Brain TBARS contents of SAMP8 control significantly increased compared with SAMR1 and were lowered significantly by supplementation of defatted sesame and perilla methanol extracts. Defatted sesame and perilla methanol extracts attenuated increased brain superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities in SAMP8. These results suggest defatted sesame and perilla methanol extracts could attenuate cognitive deficits induced by aging possibly through activation of antioxidant activity of defatted sesame and perilla methanol extracts.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.95-99
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• 2004

This study was designed to investigate the effects of ethyl acetate(EtOAc) fraction of pine (Pinus densiflora Sieb et Zucc) needle on cholesterol and lipofuscin(LF) accumulations, acetylcholine(ACh) and its related enzyme activities such as choline acetyltransferase(ChAT) and acetylcholinesterase(AChE), and monoamine oxidase-B(MAO-B) activity, which destroyed the catecholamine related neurotransmitters in brain membranes of Sprague- Dawley (SD) rats. Male SD rats were fed basic diets (control group) and experimental diets (EtOAc-25, EtOAc-50 and EtOAc-100) for 45 days. Cholesterol accumulations in mitocholndria and microsomes were significantly inhibited (11.8-12.1% and 9.6-13.0%, respectvely) in EtOAc-50 and EtOAc-100 groups. ACh levels and ChAT activities were significantly increased about 10% in membranes of EtOAc-100 group compared with control group. AChE activities were significantly increased about 8 -12% in membranes of EtOAc-50 and EtOAc-100 groups compared with control group. MAO-B activities were significantly inhibited about 10% in membrane of EtOAc-l00 group compared with control group. These results suggest that ethyl acetate fraction of pine needle may play an effective role in inhibiting cholesterol and improving a membrane fluidity, and learning and memory impairments. (Korean J Nutrition 37(2): 95 -99, 2004)

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.362-367
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• 2022

Hempseed, a dehulled Cannabis fructus, has high nutraceutical potential. It has plenty of essential amino acids, vitamins, and essential polyunsaturated fatty acids, including α- and γ-linolenic acid. Increased exercise capacity, cognitive function, and ameliorative effects against hypercholesterolemia, neuro-inflammation, thrombus formation, and learning and memory impairment were reported in hemp-seed oil-administered models. Therefore, the market prices of hempseed oil are 45~140-fold higher than the other plant-derived oils, such as soy, corn, olive, canola, or linseed oil. In this study, instead of FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) or FTIR-Raman spectroscopy, a simple UV-Vis spectrophotometry method was developed to authenticate the hempseed oil. Measurements of absorbance at 245, 305, and 415 nm of oils and calculations of 245/415 and 315/415 nm provided that the ratios of 245/415 and 315/415 nm of authentic hempseed oils were 12.9 and 9.6, respectively. The 245/415 and 315/415 nm of soy oil, corn oil, canola oil, and linseed oil were 35.4~61.8 and 29.7~50.8, respectively. This simple UV-Vis spectrophotometry method could also be applied to differentiate hempseed oil from blended oil products in markets.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.11-23
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• 2017

Anatomy is one of the basic subjects of the nursing course, which is included in the curriculum of the nursing. Anatomy is a basic course for understanding major in nursing and it is the first gateway to acquire expertise. It is mainly opened in nursing and first to second grades. Therefore, students who have advanced to the nursing department have great interest and expectation on the anatomy subjects. In general, nursing students are studying anatomy with theories and models, and some universities practice on tour after dissection of medical consortium for short time. This is called the Cadaver practice. This study was carried out to investigate the thoughts and experiences of bioethics through nursing students' Cadaver practice. The interview data were processed through the analysis and interpretation process using the phenomenological research method, Giorgi method. As a result, 48 semantic units were derived, and then they were divided into 10 subcomponents and divided into 6 categories. As a result of the analysis, the experience of nursing students' bioethics was tied to the topic of six questions. For example, 'what about the respect and responsibility of nursing students in Cadaver?', 'What about your experience with the Cadaver experiment and bioethics?', 'What was the academic achievement of the actual human body structure viewing experience with cadaver?', 'What was the connection with theory?', 'What was your intention to recommend to others?', 'What was your perception and interest in the Cadaver experiment?'. Analyzes were integrated into 10 structures; "Thank you for your donation", "want others to refuse donation", "Burden of practice", "Good opportunities for learning", "Understand better", "Should study harder", "Memory is better", "Compared to theory", "Good experience", "Want to rejoin". The general structural description of the participants' meanings is summarized as follows. Nursing college students who participated in the Cadaver had a gratitude for the donor, but they said they would like to talk to others about donating organs. Before they went to practice, they felt a lot of pressure on the dissection of the cadaver, but they went to the practice and thought that it was a good opportunity to learn by doing well. Specifically, they understood that they had better understanding than the theoretical lesson, and that they were more eager to study their major through practice. In other words, most of them were more memorable and they would like to participate again if the opportunity comes next time. The results of this study show that the practice of Cadaver in nursing college students is very positive in terms of educational effectiveness. However, in terms of bioethics, it can be seen that the education process is somewhat unsatisfactory. Therefore, the systematic bioethics education should be prepared before the practice in the nursing college students' Cadaver practice.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.373-379
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• 2015

This study aimed to investigate the anti-amnesic effect of perilla oil against trimethyltin (TMT)-induced learning and memory impairment in ICR mice. Perilla oil (2.5 mL/kg of body weight) and soybean oil (2.5 mL/kg of body weight) were administered orally to mice for 3 weeks, and at the end of the experimental period, cognitive behavior was examined by Y-maze and Morris water maze (MWM) tests. Behavioral tests showed that the mice treated with perilla oil had improved cognitive function compared to that in mice administered soybean oil. Analysis of brain tissue showed that perilla oil significantly lowered acetylcholinesterase activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Oxidized glutathione (GSH)-to-total GSH ratio also decreased from 10.4% to 5.3% in perilla oil-treated mice, but superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity increased from 11.7 to 14.2 U/mg protein. Therefore, these results suggest that the perilla oil could be a potential functional substance for improving cognitive function.